Mobile skate park is officially launched
Skateboard 02 November 2004 - The town is crying out for a skate park. This is a great intitiative engaging young people in a positive activity.

The town’s first mobile skate park was officially opened by Luton Mayor, Cllr Doris Hinkley, on Sunday 31 October underneath the viaduct at Park Street, where up to 100 young people showed off their skateboarding skills to test out the facilities.

During the day local heavy rock band Dilate and Luton band Mora provided great musical entertainment helping to inspire the skateboarders to demonstrate their many different techniques as they competed in the ‘Best Trick’ competition.

To get the mobile skate park off the ground Luton and Bedfordshire Youth Association (LuBYA) acquired £15,000 funding from the Safer Luton Partnership as well as £5,000 from the council’s Youth Service. LuBYA has also been working with 45 young people for the past two years on the skate park project with the aim of eventually creating a permanent skate park in the town. The first stage of the project was to create a mobile park which would be used to provide skating facilities, engage young people in a positive activity and demonstrate the need for a permanent park.

Young people are now in the process of forming a management committee with five area committees in each of the wards supported by LuBYA. The youngsters will control where the park will travel to and will be responsible for raising funds to pay for maintenance costs and the council’s sports development unit will be responsible for its storage and transport. The council’s Regeneration and Business Inward Investment Team will support events planning.

Luton Mayor, Cllr Doris Hinkley said: “The town is crying out for a skate park and until a permanent site can be acquired this initiative is a great substitute which I’m sure will be fully utilised by young people across Luton.”

Alexandra Green, Assistant Youth Work Development Officer, Luton and Bedfordshire Youth Association said: “Many young people have been actively involved in this project from the beginning, and have shown much enthusiasm and commitment. I am so pleased that they finally have something to show for all of their hard work and can now enjoy this excellent new facility.

“A group of 9 young people have now taken responsibility for the park through the formation of a management committee and are keen to take this opportunity to improve the image of their sport in Luton.”