I am writing to the town council on behalf of the local riders and skaters of Wymondham and it’s surrounding towns and villages.
We are aware that there have been unsuccessful attempts to raise this issue in the past, however we believe that it is now a bigger issue than ever. Wymondham Skatepark on Browick Road was first constructed in 2007 and has since been the only local spot for miles for many young people. Over the years, our small park has slowly deteriorated, while the rapidly growing population of Wymondham means that the park is becoming even more cramped and unrideable. For people trying to progress at the sports that we love, this is making it increasingly difficult. As much as we appreciate our little park for what it is, we think that it’s time to give the skatepark the renovation it deserves.
Though there are other concrete skateparks in Norfolk, all of which being bigger than ours, the majority of people that visit our park do so because they are unable to travel to the remote locations of other Norfolk parks, especially with recent restrictions. Most of these locations have a much smaller population than Wymondham (Wymondham is the largest market town in South Norfolk, it's population exceeding 16,000), yet most of their skateparks have been renovated at some point in the recent years, while our 14 year old park is neglected and left to erode with its everyday use - the ledge is practically unrideable and potentially even dangerous at this point. I think that anyone who comes down would share the same opinion, that the park is way too small. On the warmer days, it is pretty much packed. There is not enough space for everyone who wants to enjoy it and this is only going to get worse as time goes on.
Another point to mention is the parks poor design - with one side of the ledge bending and eroding, the other side (which also has metal coping for grinding) is in perfect condition since it can’t be used as there is no concrete floor on that side. Furthermore, I ride BMX as do many other locals, however this park was not designed with BMX riding in mind. The ramps are small and the ledge and box are very low, limiting the possibility of progressing beyond certain points, which can be really frustrating. It would be great to have a local park that accommodates for us all. These are just a couple of the many things we could mention given the opportunity.
A change in the publics perception of the people that spend time at the park would also be nice to see as we feel it is quite negative overall. Some kids might like smashing bottles and breaking things but trust me, this is not anyone that uses the skatepark. It wouldn’t do us any favours smashing bottles as broken glass can easily puncture our tyres, and similarly none of us would break the bins where we spend a lot of our free time. We consistently put effort into keeping our space tidy and often find ourselves sweeping up glass, cleaning up litter after others and even covering up offensive graffiti, which we feel should not really be our responsibility. I also like to think that we make people feel welcome, helping the kids to progress, and we are polite to any civilians, helping to maintain a positive community. I feel that a renovated skatepark would make a very beneficial change for everyone and create a stronger bond between us like-minded people.
Having considered it for several years, I decided against creating this petition because I didn’t think anything would be done. However, some mates and I were recently approached by a local police officer who asked us what we would like to change or add to the park in order to create a better atmosphere and environment for everyone. We expressed our thoughts on having our skatepark renovated and he said that if we get some signatures then there’s a chance that he could take it to the council. I told him we could get plenty. I know most of you want this as badly as we do, so now is our chance to prove it.
We would really appreciate the chance to discuss our ideas with you further. We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Oli & The Locals
