The Gatton Skatepark was at capacity on Saturday for the official reopening of the new-look facility.
The Skatepark recently underwent a major expansion thanks to funding from the Australian Government and to celebrate, Council and the Australian Skateboarding Community Initiative hosted a Regional Skateboard Competition.
Lockyer Valley Regional Council Deputy Mayor, Cr Jason Cook said the event proved extremely popular, with competitors registered from both local and interstate locations.
“We welcomed 60 competitors from locations such as Sydney and Northern NSW, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Townsville from our own state.
“The day had great energy and atmosphere, and it was great to see everyone out and about enjoying the winter sunshine as well as the food stalls, while having a centre-stage seat to our talented young skateboarders.
“The newly-upgraded facility was certainly put to good use and I’m confident the community will continue to do so, moving forward,” Cr Cook said.
Council was successful in securing grant funding from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCIP) to bring the $600,000 makeover to life.
Cr Cook said the upgrades included the addition of a bowl section, as well as grind rails, a half pipe and a quarter pipe and night lighting, to allow users of the facility to skate into the evening.
“The significant upgrades were completed thanks to funding secured from the Commonwealth Government and we thank our Federal Member Scott Buchholz MP for his support in obtaining this funding.
“The new state-of-the-art elements, which have doubled the size and features of the overall skatepark, will allow our local youth to continue their enjoyment of skateboarding, scootering and BMX well into the future,” he said.
Federal Member for Wright, Scott Buchholz said it was wonderful to see the upgraded skate park come to life and well used by locals on its opening day.
“From all reports, the new skatepark was packed with locals getting out to make the most of the new skate park, funded in partnership with the Council and the Federal Government.
“I’m sure the new skate park will be the go-to place for young people and families in the region, and I want to congratulate the council on delivering such a fantastic project for our community,” he said.
The LRCI program supports local Councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across Australia, supporting jobs and the resilience of local economies to help communities bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
For further information, contact Council on 1300 005 872.
