New play equipment installed for £170,000 has been put through its paces by a group of young skaters.

Ramps, grind rails and jumps at Kimber Road skate park were opened earlier this month and have been given a tough review by enthusiasts

Skater Conor Crook was one of the first to try out the equipment, at King George's Park in Southfields, installed as part of a £550,000 refurbishment programme at three playgrounds across Wandsworth.

He said: "It is a good addition to the area, definitely better than what was here before. There are however some design flaws to the layout of the skate park.

"The grass around the skating area is a bad idea as it restricts where people can skate.

"It is also not the biggest. If there are more than 15 people trying to use it, it gets really hard to find space to skate."

Others in the skateboarding community have also expressed criticisms of the design of the park. Administrative staff on the website skatefleet.com, which reviews and locates skate parksm warned skaters that although it has potential, "The park has no flow to it."

Last year the council announced it will be altering the playgrounds so they will no longer need to employ staff to be run, saving £147,000.

Councillor Kathy Tracey,  Wandsworth's cabinet member for children's services Cllr Kathy Tracey, visited the skate park last weekend.

She said: "The young people I spoke to were having an absolutely fantastic time there. They told me they were thrilled they were able to come and enjoy such a good track."

The council is also exploring options for the adjacent play building at Kimber Road, which could potentially be used as a youth café, a shop selling skateboard and BMX parts and accessories or be used as a venue from which to offer skateboarding classes run by professional tutors.

 

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