Video launched by teens campaigning for skate/scooter park

All teenagers and younger, they are normally ferried to Banbridge or Belfast but feel that their local area needs a skate park.

And they have launched a video to kickstart the campaign.

Spearheaded by Zoe Magee, mum of two of the boys Jesse (15) and Maxy (9), she said they are all passionate about scootering

Zoe, a classroom assistant at Seagoe Primary School, explained: “These are great kids who don’t loiter about the streets. They have no intention of taking up alcohol or drugs or hanging around the wrong places.

“But they need somewhere local to go to play their sport.

“There are limited skate parks about - one outdoor in Banbridge and an indoor one in Belfast called The Ramp House which is amazing!

Zoe says her boys meet lots of young people from all walks of life that share the same passion. “My son will scooter anywhere including shopping centre car parks, underground areas, even the street if he has nowhere else and when empty etc.

“I feel that our town would benefit extremely well from an outdoor skate park, like Banbridge. It would thrive and attract lots of young girls and boys and take them off the streets too.

“My son attends Portadown College and has a lot of friends who loiter around Edenvilla Park (the current problem area) so he is aware of the limited places to go for his friends,” said Zoe who has already contacted a number of local councillors to campaign for a skate park.

“The space needed isn’t even huge and there are limited spaces for teenagers to go, especially those with a keen interest in scootering which is a very up and coming sport. They get chased from car parks and are left scootering the streets,” said Zoe who believes a skate park could ‘really lift the spiritis of these kids’.

“I also don’t want their passion for a sport to diminish as they cannot travel every time to Banbridge or Belfast, especially with current restrictions. She believes investment in a skate park would be positive for the town.

Ulster Unionist Cllr Julie Flaherty has already brought the matter before Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Coucnil.

Cllr Flaherty, who is in the Leisure and Tourism Committee believes the addition of a skate/scooter park locally would be beneficial for the town and its youth.

“We are so lucky in this area that we so have so many lovely open spaces, some with upgrades and work ongoing and in the planning.

“Officers will be looking at such and also, in these times, searching for funding. A report will then come back to us hopefully with some options.”

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