Skate park one of best in UK (From Gazette & Herald)

Skate park one of best in UK

A RYEDALE skateboard park is set to become a major competition venue for the north of England.

The skateboard park, which opened in Thornton-le-Dale on Saturday, features high-tech ramps used at competition level across the world. The park was built after youngsters from Thornton-le-Dale, Pickering and Kirkbymoorside started clamouring for better facilities for the popular sport.

The park's designer John Musker said the park features three ramps which were built using high-tech plastic which will withstand bad weather and reduce the amount of noise generated from the skateboarders.

"The kids were consulted at every stage of the design and building process - they came and told us exactly what they wanted and we built it," said John, who works for Image Playground, in Coxwold.

"Some of them even attended our offices last year to have a look at our initial plans. They asked us if we could change a few things round to make the park more to their liking so I was able to do that for them - it's safe to say it is exactly what the young people wanted.

"There is nothing like this in the whole of the north of England - the only parks which compare are in Birmingham and London."

The park, which was built with grants from Ryedale District Council and Yorventure, will have three ramps, a half-pipe, a funbox and a spine ramp.

"For those not in the know they are ramps on which the skateboarders can practice tricks - suffice it to say they are of a pretty high standard," added John. "They are the sort of ramps used by competition level skaters to get up to standard - so in the next few years we could well see some skateboarding champions coming from the Ryedale area."

The park was officially opened by the chairman of Ryedale District Council David Cussons.

Updated: 16:29 Friday, February 23, 2001