'Save our skate park' (From Barry And District News)

'Save our skate park'

BARRY teenagers have banded together to safeguard the future the Knap skateboard park.

The youngsters organised a petition and presented it to leading members of the community to protect their favourite facility.

Jonathan Peters, 14, of Romilly Park Road, was instrumental in the calls to keep the park open.

He said: "We know there have been complaints about the noise that comes from the skateboard park from the people who live nearby and there were rumours that it was going to be shut down.

"But the problem is that the park has not been maintained for some time and the equipment does make a noise.

"My friends and I who use the park have talked about this and come up with some ideas about how we can compromise. We wanted to show how important the park is to us. There's little for us to do around here as it is, so losing this facility would be awful."

The group set up a petition and presented it to the current leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Jeffrey James and Vale Assembly Member Alun Cairns.

Councillor Jeffrey James said: "Richard and Victoria have raised the youngsters' concerns about the skateboard park and we intend to keep it. They have also persuaded me of the need to upgrade it, making it safer and less noisy. This we shall give our serious attention in the coming weeks."

Alun Cairns AM pledged to raise the issue of lack of funding for the Vale Council at the Assembly so that improved facilities can be provided across the town for young people.

He said: "The group approached us after being advised by their parents to campaign for the future of

the park.

"They have acted very responsibly and put forward a good case for this facility.

"They should be given credit for their handling of the situation."