Have your say on proposals for skate ramps in village park

skatepark

The Alderley Edge Youth Council, which has now been in place for 12 months, will shortly be consulting on their proposals to improve facilities in the park.

The team of youth councillors will be attending the Alderley Edge May Fair on Saturday, 20th May, where their ideas will be on display and they will be gathering feedback from visitors.

Councillor Rachael Grantham said "One of the ideas we are really keen to get feedback on is the possibility of having some skate ramps in the village. The Youth Council is very keen for this to happen but is also aware that this is not a popular idea.

"They have thought very carefully about the positives and negatives associated with this suggestion and they want to work closely with those people who have concerns."

She added "This idea is still in the very early stages so if anyone does have any suggestions or wants to make any comments then please do get in touch. We really do want to work with you on this one."

The Youth Council is also currently looking at creating a quiet seating area in the park, which they would like to achieve before the RHS judges visit for the North West in Bloom competition in July.

Councillor Rachael Grantham confirmed that arrangements have been put in place for the tennis courts to be cleaned monthly during the summer and they are also looking into the possibility of providing WiFi in the park.

Additionally the Youth Council is also looking at creating multi-use games area (MUGA) in which people can play football, basketball and various different sports.

Councillor Rachael Grantham added "They are all ideas at the moment but what they don't want to do is turn the park into a complete play area with no green space. They are very keen to keep a lot of the green space."

Photo: The £85,000 skate park which was recently installed in Stanley Hall Park in Handforth.

Tags:
Alderley Edge Park, Alderley Edge Youth Council, Rachael Grantham
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Duncan Herald
Thursday 11th May 2017 at 11:35 am
I hate to seem a kiljoy, but if the skate ramps are put into the park and also the MUGA then sadly the possibility of turning the park into a 'complete play area with no green space' seems unavoidable.

Am I right in thinking that there are skate ramp facilities in both Wilmslow and now Handforth? Hardly a long way away from A.E. ?
Fiona Doorbar
Thursday 11th May 2017 at 1:06 pm
I agree that the park is not a good choice to locate the ramps. I have suggested in a previous article that they are put on the virtually unused park off Elmfield road.
Duncan, you are right in your thoughts but we need to cater for all age groups within our village and there is nothing much that caters for age 10+ kids. My sons travel to the new Handforth facility regularly but it would be lovely to have similar (hopefully even better) on our doorstep.
Rachael Grantham
Thursday 11th May 2017 at 1:37 pm
Hi Duncan,

Thank you for your comments. Whilst all these ideas are being discussed and consulted on, lack of funding at the moment means it will be difficult to achieve everything on the 'wish list' straight away.

We fully recognise the importance of retaining the green space and we are working on improving these areas at the moment. We hope to add more trees and floral displays in the near future. The Youth Council are focussing on all areas of the village and not just Ryleys Lane Park so whilst I completely understand your fears, I'd like to reassure you and others with similar concerns.

If you have any more suggestions or ideas please come and see us at the Youth Council stall under the bandstand at the Mayfair.

Thanks,

Rachael
Duncan Herald
Thursday 11th May 2017 at 5:48 pm
Hi Rachel,

just one idea; as I've banged on about before, there is really no provision in the park for the older citizen. Compared to the older folk, the young are relatively well catered for.

Could we see a proposal or two aimed at the 'oldies' please? There's a lot of 'em about!
Jon Williams
Thursday 11th May 2017 at 7:08 pm
Fiona: We have a quite well used play area at one end of Beech Road, not Elmfield Road, but this area is too small for a "Skate Park"
Alan Brough
Thursday 11th May 2017 at 8:43 pm
Duncan,

I walked my dog through the park this evening (as I often do) and enjoyed the sight of a large number of bowlers engaged in some serious competition on the lovely Crown Green.

I don't want to do anyone any injustice but it's fair to say that, of the twenty or so bowlers engaged in mortal combat, none of them were under (say) forty years of age and most of them were considerably older.

There were also a number of dog walkers enjoying the space. I would imagine that several of them (like me) are the wrong side of fifty.

One of these days I'm going to find someone willing to take me on at table tennis (who knows - it might be you)

Fair to say, that the park is a great space that can be enjoyed in equal measure by people of all ages.
Fiona Doorbar
Friday 12th May 2017 at 6:06 am
Hi Jon. If the play equipment was removed from the Beech Road site there would be ample room...go take a look at the Handforth project and you will see.
Carolynne Braisdell
Friday 12th May 2017 at 6:10 am
I have to agree with Jon, the park off Beech Road is used by all ages of children regularly, and far to small for a skate park. Even if the park size were to be increased, as proposed in an earlier article relating to building 50 new home on the land attached to this park, the influx of extra traffic by visitors would cause even more parking problems than there already is on Beech Road and the surrounding roads
Duncan Herald
Friday 12th May 2017 at 6:16 am
Hi Alan,

competition at table tennis? Hah ! Prepare to be thrashed and humbled!
Oh no, there are no bats or balls!

Actually I sympathise with the intent re. table tennis and would like to see those morons that break the bats and stamp on the balls 'soundly horsewhipped' !

But are 'oldies' to be seen as only 'up' for bowling? Take a look at the number of us oldies still charging around the squash courts for example!
Fiona Doorbar
Friday 12th May 2017 at 8:29 am
Carolynne , my teenagers don't drive so no problem with traffic
Duncan Herald
Friday 12th May 2017 at 8:30 am
Just off Beech Road is a large grassy area (acres of it) and in the past I have been given to understand that the owner/s would like to sell some.
Might it be possible to put skate ramps (or other facilities) there, along with a smallish car park?

Yes I know this is yet another attack on 'green space', but if the people want childrens' facilities etc. etc., then alas something has to 'give'?

I'd (reluctantly) rather see a field 'lost' than the Park become a mini-Disney world!
Carolynne Braisdell
Friday 12th May 2017 at 10:03 am
Fiona, so the skate park would only be used by your teenagers and therefore no extra traffic? Sarcasm is the lowest form of humour.
Forgive me for being considerate to the residents of Beech Road, who already have parking issues.
Charlie Gaughan
Friday 12th May 2017 at 3:08 pm
I think it would be a great idea some where safe for the skateboarders if people are worried that there is no place for our senior residents maybe some one could do a survey on how many use it as a park or some where to walk the dog the facilities there are improving there's benches . Maybe make the park bigger
Emma Arkelaos
Friday 12th May 2017 at 4:56 pm
As Cllr Browne will confirm after his recent visit, Beech Road park is certainly not under used by the local children and those from further afield.
If you care to visit on any weekend day you can see a huge rane of children using the albeit, limited facilities from 0-16+.
Whilst I agree there is a need for facilities other than football within the village for older children, at present with the traffic issues aroud the estate Carolynne eluded tomake Beech Road wholly unsuitable as a skate park venue.
Fiona Doorbar
Friday 12th May 2017 at 5:28 pm
I guess the brunt of the parking issues you refer to occur Monday to Friday Carolynne... this facility, if it were to be located on your doorstep, would be used mainly at the weekend. I apologise , as I have obs hit a nerve.
Alan Brough
Friday 12th May 2017 at 6:24 pm
Hi Fiona,

No, the parking issue around the estate is not confined to Monday - Friday. It is the usual problem of residential parking in an area where there is a high density of housing and a growing number of cars per household.

Driving around the estate is already difficult and additional car traffic would make it more so.

But perhaps you got off on the wrong foot by suggesting the removal of the much used / much loved children's play area in order to make space for a skate park

The small play area is mainly used by young children, it is situated very close to a number of houses and perhaps people may be nervous about the idea of large numbers of (possibly)noisy teenagers congregating.

Just a thought.
Fiona Doorbar
Friday 12th May 2017 at 7:09 pm
Hi Alan thanks for ur input
Charlie Gaughan
Saturday 13th May 2017 at 5:48 am
Do kids on skateboards drive
Stewart Dyer
Saturday 13th May 2017 at 8:08 am
Perhaps they don't drive but they certainly seem incapable of getting to school without the assistance of large numbers of 4x4s.
Charlie Gaughan
Tuesday 23rd May 2017 at 8:55 pm
Again we stray away from the subject in hand skateboard park is this agenda not parking making a facility safe to use for the young people in the village instead parking parking parking with everything one axe to grind at a time what harm could it do if we started to do things to help people baaa humbug