Skate park push gets funding boost

IN a true case of people and pedal power, young Meredith resident Harley Murfitt’s campaign for improvements at the town’s skate park got a massive boost recently.

Contained in last week’s State budget was a provision for $420,000 worth of upgrades at the site.

Harley, who received a 2020 Golden Plains Mayoral Youth Award for his push to improve the space was upbeat about his efforts.

“It feels really good,” he said. “If you don’t ask, you don’t get it.

“All the hard work me and Max Love have done, and the policeman [Leading Senior Constable Craig Malthouse] and [Meredith Primary School principal] Mr [Stephen] Trotter, it just feels really good and it’s something good for the community.

“I’d just like to thank everyone for helping with it.”

Last Monday, dignitaries from local and State politics, along with staff and students from Meredith Primary School, and LCS Malthouse headed to the skate park for the announcement.

It was a key moment in a Harley and Max’s campaign, although Max couldn’t be there.

Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle was full of praise for the effort.

“I think this is one of the nicest announcements that I’ve done,” she said.

“The reason it’s so nice is that it was driven completely by the community. Harley comes up with an idea, talks to Craig about it, talks to the principal at school, everyone gets together, talks to council, then council comes to State Government… here we are, we’ve done it.

“It’s just extra ordinary and you’ve really got to be congratulated, Harley.”

The town’s police officer, LCS Malthouse, recounted how Harley and Max’s push for new BMX jumps and an improved skate park got underway.

“I started here at Meredith about 15 months ago and two young kids walked through my door, it was my first day,” he said.

“Harley and Max said hi, and, ‘We need to speak. Do you think there could be a BMX track here? We could get a new skate park and build a BMX track around the skate park, and because it’s opposite the police station everyone could look after each other’.

“Two days later Harley comes in. ‘How’d you go, Craig, speak to the mayor?’. So I thought I needed to touch base with the council because these kids are serious about this.”

As part of the process to improve the site, Harley and Max designed their ideal skate park and BMX jumps.

They travelled to Teesdale to check out that town’s facilities and incorporated elements of what they liked there into their final designs.

It’s now over to Golden Plains Shire to formally plan the upgrades and complete the work. It’s a process Harley said he was keen to be involved in.

“We’d like to see some jumps for the bigger kids and a track for the smaller kids, so it benefits everyone,” he said.

“For example, at Teesdale they have table tops, gravel jumps, some berms and all that stuff.

“We’re also looking for some concrete ramps as they are safer, and they don’t get as hot in summer.”