Skatepark tailwhiped into shape

SMYTHESDALE’S newest community asset, a revamped skatepark, was officially opened last week.

The $250,000 project located at the Woady Yaloak Recreation Reserve includes new concreate obstacles and a resurfaced mini ramp.

For Golden Plains Shire Major, Cr Owen Sharkey, completion of the upgrades was satisfying to see.

“It’s was one of the first projects as a new council we took on,” he said. “You go through the paperwork, see it all, thrash it out and see the need for it in the community. But then to actually go down and see it delivered, it’s exciting to see.

“Smythesdale has a huge need for lot of things like that, so we know that the community’s growing in a positive way and the skatepark will be much used.”

The upgrades involved resurfacing the existing steel plate mini ramps and removing the aging steel obstacles.

The old ramps were replaced with all concreate quarter pipes, a spine, banks, sub-boxes and grind boxes and bars.

The quarter-of-a-million-dollar project included $150,000 from the Shire and $100,000 from the State government via the Community Sports Infrastructure Fund.

Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle, said the project as an example of what can happen when levels of government come together with stakeholders.

“This project is a great example of how we’re working with the local community in making sport and recreation more accessible, welcoming and inclusive for all,” she said.

“We’re giving communities the facilities they need so more locals can enjoy sport and active recreation.”

In January the developer, Convic, and Shire undertook a community consultation process to help decide what went into the park.

Cr Sharkey said considering the cost of things like skateparks, they were meant to last a significant amount of time before being revisited, although there was scope to add to the Smythesdale facility in the future.

“Putting in concreate infrastructure like this means it’s going to be around for long time,” he said. “The only reason we’d need to touch that is to make it bigger and bolder as the needs in the community grow.”