Carving up concrete on scooters and skateboards will soon be a reality for the Marton community.
Carving up concrete on scooters and skateboards will soon be a reality for the Marton community.
Carving up concrete on scooters and skateboards will soon be a reality for the Marton community.
The newly refurbished Skate Park has been under renovation for the last three months receiving a $400,000 makeover.
The renovation has been a long time coming with the idea first being put forward tocouncil in 2013 by Roman Strong, an enthusiastic skater.
Pania and Raymond Hemopo, whose son Vchay is a Mozzi sponsored scooter rider also ran with the same idea and after a year of preparing, Pania brought forward the idea to council with hundreds of signatures and a plan.
Seeing how dangerous the previous park was, the Hemopos wanted the park extended and to be made safer.
The Rotary alongside multiple national and local trusts, charities, foundations, boards, clubs and committees banded their efforts together to raise just over $400,000 needed for renovations.
"We are wanting Marton to be a community destination and to do that we need good facilities," Marton Rotary president Andrew Shand says.
Nardia Gower, Rangitikei District Council's youth advisor, says the whole project has all been supported, funded and lead by the community.
"It has been designed with a point of difference and isn't like any other skate park around the lower North Island," she says.
The scooter and skate groups within New Zealand travel a lot she says and she hopes the new park can be a travelling destination that will help support local businesses in the area.
"It will also help those families that have financial barriers and can't take their kids to skate parks in other towns," she says.
Hemopo says the little bit of funding left over will be put towards lighting, security, a basketball court, barbecues and other park facilities.
"The park is a big stepping stage to create a family friendly space around the park for parents to come and have a barbecue and watch there children as previously there has been no space for parents to interact," Gower says.
Gower also says a trail that links the skate park, playgrounds, schools, pools, and sport grounds together in the community is in the pipeline.
Council parks team leader and project manager of the site, Athol Sanson says the Hemopos worked extremely hard to put everything together.
May 25th will see the community take to the new park with an opening event that includes a scooter competition sponsored by MAAD Gear Pro where professional scooter riders will be attending to coach and judge.
Marton new $400,000 skate park will be open to the public on May 25. Photo / Supplied
