Clacton's new skatepark will be the biggest and best facility ever provided for youngsters in the town.

That's the promise as work progresses on clearing the site in preparation for the initiative at Vista Road Leisure Centre.

The £150,000 scheme will include about four meeting places and shelters for those wanting to use the area, as well as lighting and closed circuit television cameras.

"This is a massive project for us to undertake and will be the best initiative we have ever gone ahead with for youngsters in this town," said Pierre Oxley, a Tendring councillor who is chairman of the youth panel.

"It will be a real showpiece and will be as good as any facility of its kind in the country."

Mr Oxley said the new park will take over the whole of the Adventure Island site next to Clacton Leisure Centre.

Mr Oxley said that £30,000 was already in the bank and the council had been given the nod that other funding was on the way to make up the rest of the costs.

That includes cash from Sport England.

Mr Oxley added: "A lot of work needs to be done but once the site is cleared we will be bringing in the firms to supply the equipment and prepare the land. It will not be a flat site and there will lots of features and equipment."

Mr Oxley said the aim was to get the youngsters away from other areas such as the Town Hall steps, Carnarvon Road and the Gardens area of the town.

Graffiti has been daubed on the newly-opened Walton skatepark.

And angry community chiefs have appealed to young users to step in to police it themselves.

The new £55,000 skatepark was officially opened less than a month ago.

Walton councillor John Halls said: "I am appalled and disgusted. The youngsters say their are no facilities but when we come up with the money they abuse it. I don't know what the answer is."

Published Tuesday, April 8, 2003

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