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<\/p>\nTRAVIS Watson would have loved the new skatepark in Lismore, according to his friend Sam James.<\/p>\n
Mr Watson advocated for a quality skatepark in Lismore for nearly 30 years.<\/p>\n
Tragically, he will never use the facility he fought so hard for, dying in a car crash last year.<\/p>\n
Construction began on the Lismore Skatepark and Youth Precinct this week, his input shaping its plans.<\/p>\n
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In 1997, Mr Watson started a skate shop on Molesworth Street, called 36 Chambers, providing sponsorship and mentoring for local skaters.<\/p>\n
Mr James and Mr Watson’s childhood best friend Shane Bryant continue his legacy, taking on the shop and the push for a quality park in Lismore.<\/p>\n
And Mr James is happy the park plans include a rail that honours Mr Watson.<\/p>\n
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Community facilities often bear the name of those who achieved fame on the national or world stage, but Mr James said his friend deserved recognition for his contribution to the local skating community.<\/p>\n
“Travis’s stardom was all here,” he said. “For 26 years, he served this community, right here.<\/p>\n
“He didn’t go off and be famous \u2013 which he could have. He could have moved away, but he chose to stay in Lismore and cultivate the scene.<\/p>\n
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“All the work he did was right here.”<\/p>\n
Now, he says everyone who uses the park will remember Mr Watson.<\/p>\n
The park will be a drawcard for skaters because of its design, bringing visitors and money to the town.<\/p>\n
It is a far cry from the old park on Victoria Street that Mr James said was destined to fail.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tucked away on a back street, it was built in the 1990s when there were no skatepark designers available.<\/p>\n “It left a lot to be desired,” Mr James said. “Bad designs and bad material ended up with a bad skatepark.<\/p>\n “It was really difficult to progress on something like that.”<\/p>\n The new skatepark is an entirely different matter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It will be in the centre of the town on the corner of Dawson and Uralba streets, built by expert skatepark builder Convic.<\/p>\n Convic consulted with professional skaters, coaches and event organisers, including Olympic skateboarding judge Renton Millar, to ensure the skatepark is fit for attracting and hosting competitions and training events, as well as meeting the needs of the community.<\/p>\n Mr James said Lismore will have a unique park.<\/p>\n “A lot of the parks around here are very transition-focused, bowl-focused,” he said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Lismore has always been dominated by street skaters because all we have is these streets. It’s a different kind of skating to a bowl.<\/p>\n “It still has a massive, beautiful bowl \u2013 but the rest is very street focused. It’s going to be fantastic.”<\/p>\n The success of skateboarders at the Olympics had helped elevate it as a legitimate sport, Mr James said, boosting funding for regional projects such as this.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “The paradigm has shifted. It’s changed the public perception of skateboarding,” he said.<\/p>\n But that does not mean the park is just for competitive skaters \u2013 the design means there will be a place for skaters of all skill levels.<\/p>\n And for those who do have their sights set on Olympic gold, they will have a world-class facility on their doorstep.<\/p>\n The park should be completed by mid-2025. Throughout construction, the local council will work with competition operators, the local skate community and sporting bodies to develop a calendar of events.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2024\/09\/PLans2_50854.jpg\")
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