New skatepark put to the test
Skaters, skateboarders and BMXers have been putting Eaton Park’s newest amenity through its paces. The verdict so far: “We’re really, really pleased…”
The Skatepark opened in time for this week’s halfterm and is already attracting dozens of skaters, rollerbladers and BMX riders into the park. It has floodlights which can be activated up until 10pm, and according to Chris Sturgess, a founder member of the Skatepark Consultation Group, some BMX riders have been practicing 12 hours a day since it opened. He said: “It’s all that we hoped it would be… Everyone is really, really pleased with it. No-one has had a bad word to say about it.”
Chris Sturgess runs Revolutionz on Lower Goat Lane and says many of his staff who ride BMX bikes have been heading down there after work. Some are already asking if the floodlights could be extended later into the evening. ”It’s attracting a massive age range and attracting people from all over the country. We had a group on Sunday and Monday who had come down from Leeds to try out the skatepark.”
It took almost a decade to get the skatepark built, what Chris Sturgess describes as a “long slog”. Nine years ago he wrote his first letter to the council, pointing out that the money being spent on small skateparks across the city would be put to better use building one large one, of a national standard. Eventually funding was found with the help of Norwich City Council to build the £300 thousand pound facility.
An official opening of the skatepark is planned for 24/25th July when professional skateboarders and BMX riders from across the UK will be invited to attend. An informal competition will be held on both days.
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