The councillor heading the redevelopment of Napier's Marine Parade leisure space is promising small-wheel sports an even better facility than the acclaimed Sk8Zone that was closed last week.
Keith Price, a Napier City councillor since 2007 and seeking a fourth term at this year's Local Elections, was speaking yesterday after being presented with a 1740-signature facebook petition organised by scootering champion and Napier teenager Alexandra Madsen.
Sk8Zone, the modern-era of the Napier Skating Club which has been on Marine Parade since 1954, closed this week to make way for a garden and water leisure centre, but Mr Price said he's keen to see the best features of Sk8Zone and more incorporated in a new skate park being built on the site of Marine Parade tourism jewel Marineland.
Club members say the council has already fallen short on promises by closing Sk8Zone before the new facility is ready and by not guaranteeing the club a role in running the venue, as it has done with the ever-popular rinks on the parade over the past 62 years.
The council has, however, leased a warehouse to be used by club members during the 18 weeks until the new Marine Parade venue is available. It is planning to incorporate 10 of the biggest Sk8Zone ramps in the new facilities and has established a design committee, including three club members, to guide the development of the new site into what Mr Price says should be a world-class facility for the wheel sports of skating, skateboarding, roller derby and others.