Skatepark dream turns to nightmare

A new $100,000 ratepayer-funded skate ramp designed to enhance Tauranga's Carlton Reserve has instead created a nightmare.
That's the view of people who live near the park after it was repeatedly daubed with graffiti, became a dumping ground for litter and a donut park for boy racers since being finished earlier this month.
Residents say it has been nothing short of a nightmare since it was finished.
Cynthia Place resident Lesley Aldcroft said the skatepark - the final project in the three-year construction of Carlton Park, which included a softball diamond - was a "blot on the landscape".
"It was completed on a Tuesday and by Wednesday it was comprehensively tagged. Skaters arrived by car and on Saturday it seemed that donuts on the reserve had become a new sport," she said.
"Ninety-eight per cent of our street didn't want the skatepark there and this is why - we knew it would be a mess."
"Is the council expected to use our rates to fix up the mess?"
Mrs Aldcroft said she and her family had seen rocks being thrown at the park's toilet doors in an effort to smash them and heard obscenities being screamed from the skatepark as late as 11.30pm.
Another Carlton St resident, who did not wish to be named for fear of retaliation, said she was concerned children were frequenting the park after the gates were locked at night. There were no lights at the park.
She said she had heard the thump of skateboards as late as 12.45am during the middle of the week.
Meanwhile, Tauranga's Softball Club says skaters could be seriously injured once the softball season starts up in September.
Craig Pedersen, Tauranga City Softball Club president, said there would be a danger with flying balls.
"The nature of softball is that, if you hit a ball clean, it goes into the field of play and if you hit a foul ball it comes off the bat and goes behind you. My concern is that one of my players hits a kid and could seriously injure a skater. A softball could knock them out and then some."
The skate ramp has already been cleaned of graffiti at least twice this month, something council regional parks and development manager Mark Bruhn said was disappointing.
"Kids have to look after it themselves, the community should respect it."
There were works to tidy up before the skate ramp was ready for its official opening this Saturday.
"Council is excited about the skatepark and are working to ensure the users - skaters and softballers - have a really good time. Western Bay Softball have said they're happy to monitor the situation and will provide [warning] signage if necessary."
Mr Bruhn said due to complaints about cars driving over the field, bollards would be put in as soon as possible.
A rubbish bin is planned for beside the skatepark. A pile of soil will be moved between the skate ramp and the baseball diamond to provide a viewing buffer for softballers and other park users.
The Rhino skate ramp system is the first of its kind in New Zealand, designed for lower noise levels.
Mr Bruhn said the chosen location of the skate ramp in Carlton Reserve was the result of the council wanting to place it as far away from residential properties as possible.
Skatepark user Josh Matiu of Tauranga, told the Bay of Plenty Times the graffiti was "definitely not" the work of skaters. He said those were responsible were giving skaters a bad name.
"I'd rather see somebody else come in and do proper murals and stuff. Good graffiti is all right because it suits the skatepark. If it's good they won't tag over it."
Skaters Jack McKay, 16, of Papamoa, and Tony Thomas, 20, of Mount Maunganui, said that despite the council spending $100,000 on the skate ramp it didn't overly impress.
"They need to fix it up a little bit," Mr McKay said. "It doesn't compare to the Mount one [at Blake Park] but it's good for up and coming skaters," Mr Thomas added.
The Carlton Reserve Skatepark resulted from a submission and petition of more than 500 signatures, first put to council in 2001 by Otumoetai College student Chris Worsnop-Check.
Chris, 14, died from a cerebral aneurism in February 2003 and his mother Tracey carried on the campaign after that.
She told the Bay Times her son would be upset about the way the skatepark was being treated.
"I think he'd be really thrilled the skatepark had eventuated but wouldn't be happy people are abusing it. He wouldn't be amused at all."