Luton teen submits petition for skateboard park in Bramingham

A teenager has submitted a petition to Luton Borough Council calling for a skateboard park in Bramingham ward.
Images of the planned skateboard park in New Century ParkImages of the planned skateboard park in New Century Park
Images of the planned skateboard park in New Century Park

Isaac Bastiani, of Dalton Close, decided to campaign for the facility by collecting a 99-signature petition.

His request was considered by the council’s petitions and representations board.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Conservative Bramingham councillor John Young said: “Isaac approached me in the summer, saying there are very few facilities in Bramingham ward and they would like a skateboard park.

“He asked: ‘Can I do a petition?’ So I replied: ‘Yes’. And having never done one before on the council I looked into it on the website.

“I took round a petition form and said he needs about 100 signatures, so he got 99 and put it into the council.

“Skateboarding is now an Olympic sport,” he added. “Lots of young people are very enthusiastic about it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“And it would be good for someone so young as 13 or 14 to push something through.

“We all want younger people to get themselves involved in the council and I would ask the board to accept the recommendations put forward.”

Liberal Democrat Wigmore councillor Alan Skepelhorn said: “It’s a sensible and mature way to go about this and he should be commended for it.

“The kids don’t cause much in the way of anti-social behaviour. They use the facility and don’t abuse it.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The council’s parks operations manager Steve Battlebury agreed, saying: “It’s not so much anti-social behaviour as the noise of the wheels on the track.

“That’s why these need to be placed away from housing.”

There are skateboard parks within the borough at Wigmore Valley Park and Manor Road Park, according to a report to the board.

“Wigmore Valley Park is the larger of the two and attracts users from across the town,” said the report.

“It’s scheduled to be replaced with an upgraded facility in 2020 as part of the New Century Park development.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The Manor Park facility is a smaller neighbourhood park facility and was externally funded.

“The council does not currently have a budget identified for new or replacement play equipment or facilities,” added the report.

“There are no plans to provide a new skateboard facility within the Bramingham ward.

“And there is no customer feedback via the parks online survey to suggest that a skatepark is required.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The facility planned at Wigmore Valley Park would cost around £350,000, while a neighbourhood one similar to Manor Road Park would be about £75,000.

Great Bramingham Park and Little Bramingham Park are surrounded by housing and “aren’t considered suitable locations”, explained the report.

Leagrave Park and Lewsey Park have the capacity for a skateboard park without impacting on local residents.

Labour Farley councillor Dave Taylor said: “It’s certainly something I would agree with, not that John and I can skateboard any more.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Some of the kids spend all day on there, so there must be some benefit for us.

“Some of the jumps they get up to are unbelievable. It’s something we should be encouraging.”

The board agreed to ask the council’s green space manager to do a wider consultation with the local community and investigate potential funding sources for 2021/22.