4:20pm Thursday 30th October 2008
By Andrew Greaves
Children in Coppull will see two years of hard work come to fruition tomorrow when their brand new skate park is officially opened.
The local youngsters have worked in partnership with local councils to get the skate park,in Springfield Road.
Lancashire County Council's Young People's Service, Coppull Parish Council and Chorley Council have all pitched in to help the young people practise their railstands, heelflips, nosegrinds and other skateboard stunts.
Young people will be involved in the launch and there will be demonstrations from the Mid Lancs BMX Club followed by light refreshments and an opportunity to meet young people's workers and young people.
Lewis Hayes, 15, said: "It's a good place because we can chill out and stops us getting into bother with the police.”
"It's a really good facility for us to go on our bikes and chill out," added Leigh Greenhalgh, 14.
The majority of the cost of the park, £75,000, has been met by a bid that the young people put in to the Youth Capital Fund. Chorley Council contributed £25,000 and a youth shelter, Coppull Parish Council £15,000, and Lancashire County Council's environment directorate contributed £15,000 for landscaping.
The facility has taken two years to complete with the involvement and partnership of Lancashire County Council, Chorley Council, Lancashire Environment Fund, Coppull Parish Council, Lancashire Constabulary, the Safety Partnership Team, NHS Central Lancashire, Chorley Leisure Service and Lancashire Young People's Service.
County Couns Alan Whittaker, chairman of the county council, and Mark Perks, Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle, Mayor of Chorley Coun Terry Brown, and Chorley Borough Council leader Coun Peter Goldsworthy are due to attend.
Coun Whittaker said: "Though never tempted to mount a skateboard myself, I know that young people will have enormous fun using this new park and it's a great way for them to socialise and have exercise.
"It's also a triumph for the young people involved who submitted the bid for a large part of the funding."
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