Nantwich looks set to get a new skate park facility on the Barony after the project received a £100,000 grant from FCC Communities Foundation.
The money will be used to create a multi-wheeled sports facility which will allow skateboarders, scooters, roller skaters and other park users access to an enormously improved facility at Barony Park.
It comes after a long campaign by users, local councillors and the MP Dr Kieran Mullan, after the previous skate park fell into disrepair and was closed.
Local skate park user Alexander Donlon spearheaded the campaign for the funding.
He founded a Facebook group for people to share views on what they wanted to have in the new skate park, then he took those views to Dr Mullan, who then shared more widely and kept the momentum building.
Alexander said: “I have never been involved in a campaign like this before, so it’s fantastic that we got the result we wanted in the end.
“It shows that if you keep at something you can get things for your local area.
“I want to thank Kieran for helping to get my voice and the voice of the other people supporting the campaign heard.
“I hope we can move forward quickly to actually getting it built and I will keep pushing!”
Dr Mullan said: “This is great news for local young people and the whole area, which hasn’t had a skate park for well over a year now.
“I want to really thank Alexander for all his efforts campaigning on this, and for Ansa for taking the time to listen to his views and the views of other people that want a skate park Nantwich can be proud of.”
Cllr Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said: “It’s been a rigorous process to get to the point where we have been successful in our application for this funding but that’s exactly how it should be.
“The facility will make a huge difference to the lives of people living in the area.
“This project will provide a real boost to the people of Nantwich.
“Residents will soon be able to feel the benefits of an outstanding facility and it’s fantastic that FCC Communities Foundation has awarded us this money.
“We’re really looking forward to the skate park taking shape over the coming months.”
FCC Communities Foundation is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community projects through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Cheryl Raynor, FCC Community Foundations local grant manager, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Cheshire East Council to bring this project to fruition, the evidence of support from the local community demonstrated that the facility is needed and desperately wanted, we look forward to work starting shortly.”
The date for the start of construction of the new skate park at Barony Park is still to be confirmed but an announcement is expected soon.
Great, 100,000 is a great start! What about a gofundme for another chunk towards making it even better! Skateparks bring people in from all sorts of places!
Good news, the kids need something to do on the barony other than drink