BMX bikers plan town centre protest
Dozens of skaters and BMX riders are expected to flood Northampton town centre this Saturday as part of a protest against the lack of facilities provided for young people in the town.
Devan Koshal, aged 18, has arranged the event – En Massive Session – to get the point across to Northampton Borough Council that the town needs another skate- park.
The former Northampton School for Boys pupil has set up a group on Facebook to advertise the protest, which already has 60 members.
He has also set up an online petition which has been signed by more than 50 people.
The teenager, who lives in Kingsthorpe, said: "There is a massive BMX and skateboarding scene in Northampton, but it's all underground.
"Most of the time we have to travel to places like Coventry, Birmingham, Newport Pagnell, Kettering, Milton Keynes or Corby just to skate or ride.
"But there's a whole new wave of younger kids coming into the scene, and they have nowhere to go or anywhere they can get to.
"The two skateparks we do have are in two dodgy areas of Northampton, and they are made out of fibreglass so they are extremely slippery.
"They are also way too small and badly designed."
A spokesman for the borough council said that when the plans to redevelop Becket's Park were drawn up last year, a skatepark was considered, but no firm decisions have been made about further phases of the park's regeneration, following the establishment of the marina.
Councillor Paul Varnsverry, (Lib Dem, West Hunsbury) who has the responsibility for the strategic development of the borough's parks, said: "We have listened to young people about the facilities they want and we understand that there is a demand for skateparks in Northampton.
"However, the borough council can't afford the tens of thousands of pounds needed to build a new state-of-the-art provision without the help of grants and partners.
"Money would also need to be found for installation, security and regular safety checks, and this should not be to the detriment of important front line services."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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