Comment: skatepark - fortuitous timing or real interest?

Monday 12 February 2018

Following the news that the New North Quay skatepark would be closed due to a number of safety issues including “near misses” between vehicles and users, a working group including Constables, Deputies and skateboarders has been set up to help find a new location.

But is this political interest genuine, or simply the result of fortuitous timing with an election in the offing? Freelance writer and Express columnist, Daco Fernandes, who attended the Town Hall meeting on 6 February, is still wondering.

"At the beginning of January, the skatepark situated on the New North Quay was closed down by the Ports of Jersey on ‘safety grounds’. It has to be said that there has been sporadic and rather limited amounts of trouble in the area of the current skatepark and as you might expect, it has always landed at the feet of the park users. Sadly though, this isn’t true. As always, ‘the few, spoil it for the many’, and the few in most of the instances of trouble have never been park users but other people who would cause trouble no matter where they end up. 

"The current skatepark is in the wrong location and is not fit for purpose. This was widely agreed at the Town Hall meeting that was held on Tuesday evening where over eighty people turned up to have their say on the current situation. Since the 1970’s there have been up to twelve ‘temporary’ skateparks built around Jersey. There has never been any forward planning in this regard but it now seems that a tide of change is about to wash over the island. The inclusion of skateboarding into the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) means that finally the world may well embrace the skateboard community. This outcast and vilified group of individuals can finally come out into the light and will hopefully no longer be shunned by the majority of society.

Pictured: The Assistant Minister for Economic Development, Constable Steve Pallett, St Helier Deputy Andrew Lewis, and St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft have joined forces to find a new location for a skatepark.

"With the advent of this global rising and the unfortunate park closure, it would seem that change might be afoot. A working party has been set up that includes Connétables Stephen Pallett, Simon Crowcroft, Deputies Andrew Lewis, Russell Labey and some local skateboard legends, Steve Harben and Jono Stephenson amongst others. What they are calling for, is a permanent “aspirational and world class” facility. These thoughts were echoed by members of public, junior and senior. Eric Falla demanded that the “facility be covered and open for use all year round.” Others remember being scorned by the now defunct Waterfront Enterprise Board (WEB) after spending 7 years working on a proper facility and ending up with detestable mess that is currently only open on the weekends and school holidays. There were calls for the States of Jersey to “open their eyes” to the reality of the problem. 

"Constable Pallet who is an assistant minister in The Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture Department does seem well placed to understand some of the issues that skateboarders face. He seems very keen to help and clearly has already laid some groundwork out regarding possible sites but nothing is yet set in concrete.

"What is clear though is that there is certainly an appetite from the public for something to be done properly. No-one wants to see another 30 year wait (Go-Kart track, anybody?) for a permanent facility, this is simply unacceptable. One can’t help but wonder if there is a glint of fortuitous, political timing here… isn’t there an election coming up?"

The views expressed in this piece are those of the columnist and not those of Bailiwick Express.