Skate park upgrade completed

Scooters, bikes and skateboards can be seen racing around the Eltham skate park as the final upgrades on the $100,000 project have been completed.

The skate park upgrade project began in 2013 when it was established that the current park was not meeting the needs of youth.

Steffy McKay, co-ordinator of E-Town Youth, says that through a partnership with the South Taranaki District Council (STDC), the E-Town Youth group were able to apply for funding to kick off the project.

"The Eltham Community Board gave us the initial 'seed money' and since then the students of the youth centre have been working hard to prepare applications for grants as well as holding fundraising events," Steffy says.

Glenn Hansen, community development advisor from the STDC, says the project has been an excellent council and community partnership project.

"It has been particularly powerful for the young people of Eltham who were the ones who initiated the project," he says.

He says the students of the youth group have shown others in the community that things can happen if you get involved.

"It has also given them a real sense of achievement and ownership."

Glenn says the STDC was involved in helping with funding applications to the sponsors. He says now that the skate park is completed the on-going care and maintenance of the skate park will be managed by the STDC.

The park will be officially opened on January 24 at the Eltham Community Family Funday at Soldiers Park Eltham.

This years fun day will include some favourites from last year, says Steffy, including a barbecue run by the Eltham Lions Club and a Drown the Clown run by the Central Taranaki Young Farmers.

New attractions include an all ages inflatable obstacle course and inflatable bumper balls. The community swimming pool will also be open with an inflatable slide.

The skate park will be officially opened by a MGP Scooter competition run by Cheapskates in New Plymouth.

Steffy says the family fun day will offer something for everyone. It begins at 10.30am and will be a mostly free event.

The Eltham skate park project is a result of a partnership between E-Town Youth Centre and the South Taranaki District Council. Grants were provided by TSB Community Trust, Taranaki Electricity Trust, Lion Foundation Pub Charity and Transpower.