Mayor calls for action over skatepark
Speaking at this week’s Town Council Strategy, Policy & Development meeting, Cllr Phil Owen responded to news that the new skatepark, which closed during the Covid pandemic due to health and safety concerns, was still in the hands of developers Canvas, who are yet to provide a recent update.
The committee agreed to ask for a full written report be presented to the next Full Council meeting, but Cllr Owen floated the idea to look elsewhere in order to move the project forward.
“There are three stages to this project (before it is built),” said Cllr Owen. “Someone has to design it. Someone has to put it through planning. Then, someone has to get the funding. It seems we are being held up at the very first hurdle.
“We have been waiting for these plans and we’re told these are the only people (Canvas) available to do it. Have they actually done anything? Have we paid them any money? Is this beyond the ability of another architect to come up with a plan or proposal which we can submit a bid on?”
Committee Chair, Cllr Phil Pritchard, said councillors were being given the same excuses for two-and-a-half years with Cllr Chris Davies adding that he was having “a large amount of people of all ages” asking him if there was any news, and starting to doubt if it will ever happen.
Cllr Pritchard also warned that even when the final designs are presented to the Town Council, it could then be a lengthy process to obtain planning, and then look for funding.
“I want an in-depth report on exactly where we are,” he said, with councillors backing his call for it to be presented at Full Council.
PICTURE: The artist's impression of how Welshpool skatepark could look, provided by Canvas earlier this year. But there's hasn't been an update since.
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