A WOLLONGONG councillor has welcomed a significant milestone in the decades-long push for a Thirroul skate park. 

Wollongong City Council has identified the preferred sites for skate parks at McCabe Park in the the city and WF Jackson Park at Thirroul.

After 21 days of public exhibition, the document will return to Council for the December 15 meeting.  

Ward One Greens councillor Jess Whittaker said the document revealed wide support for the two locations, with over three quarters of respondents either happy or very happy with the selected sites. 

“I am thrilled with the positive response from the community,” Cr Whittaker said. 

“If councillors adopt these locations, staff can push forward by developing detailed design work for the facilities and seek further funding from other levels of government to assist in delivering these projects for the community. 

“I know from my involvement in the Port Kembla Stake park that these stages are the hardest. You have to get through bureaucratic hurdles, but once the building has started, it can happen quickly. 

“Each milestone is worth celebrating, as it means we are a step closer to delivering life-changing spaces for young people.”

Cr Whittaker also credited Council staff for their fantastic job in gaining feedback from nearly 2000 interested residents during the three-week consultation period. The staff sent 3340 individual letters to residents, facilitated eight pop-up stores, contacted schools, neighbourhood forums and sporting clubs for feedback. 

The councillor has long campaigned for greater investment in the city’s skating infrastructure and said, despite dated misconceptions, skate parks are an effective way to create a more vibrant community. 

“Skateboarding is a unique sport,” she said.

“It’s creative, inclusive, multi-generational and has a very low cost barrier, which makes it accessible to a diversity of people. 

“Despite historic perceptions of skateboarding being associated with bad behaviour, modern skate parks have helped to alleviate many of these issues. 

“It’s one of the few sports that attracts people to stay and play in a city or town centre, with a flow of economic, cultural and vibrancy benefits for the surrounding locations. This will be fantastic to see in our city.”

Free subscription to The Bulli & Clifton Times

OR DONATE BY CREDIT CARD

Don’t have Paypal? Instead, if you would like to support my work, you can leave a secure $2 credit or debit card donation here by tapping or clicking on the button below. Your generous patronage of my work and research, however small it appears to you, will greatly help me with my continuing costs.