Skatepark row “blown completely out of proportion”

Welshpool Town Council has voted in favour of continuing to gather information about the potential of creating a paid car park at Maesydre following another lively discussion last night regarding the site’s long-term future use as a skatepark.

Earlier this month, we reported that a Town Council sub-committee wanted to investigate the idea of introducing paid parking at Maesydre to deter workers in the town getting free parking.

The Town Council is desperate for new income streams, but the idea faced some fierce opposition at the time with the site earmarked in the long-term for a skatepark to replace the one closed by the Town Council five years ago.

And, again, there was opposition last night at full council with councillors Alison Davies, Billy Spencer and Nick Howells all refusing to support the proposal for the sub-committee to gather more information.

Cllr Spencer referred to the "200-300 comments" on MyWelshpool’s story that “all said that it is a ridiculous idea” with Cllr Davies saying “I would like to register my concern and objection”.

But six councillors want to gather more information on the project’s potential and costs, with Cllr Phil Pritchard saying that it could bring in over £100 a day in revenue for the cash-strapped local authority.

“I have seen 30-40 cars there every day of the week,” he said. “All it is, is people from outside Welshpool parking there to walk up the town to work. They’re outsiders, and as far as I am concerned that’s the people we would like to pay a tax for parking their cars.”

Cllr Morag Bailey again reiterated her call for calm and said the whole situation “has been blown completely out of proportion”.

“It was just an idea that Cllr Pritchard suggested that why don’t we make some money out of the car park, even if it was temporary while the skatepark was being developed,” she said.

“It was simply an idea that the committee agreed ‘let’s just look at the feasibility’ and that was literally it. It has been blown 20 steps down the road.”

Cllr Bill Rowell agreed, and added: “It is simply a proposal to find out more information. Therefore, the comments that have been made are an over-reaction. Simply about 'here we are needing to raise funds anyway we can, let’s just look at the possibilities here as to what it would cost to do it and what could be done'.”

Town Clerk, Richard Williams, confirmed that the proposal, supported by six councillors last night, is for: “Officers to look at all of the data and bring back further information.”

While no figures have been released officially about the potential cost of a skatepark tabled by designers Canvas, MyWelshpool understands it could be in the region of £400,000. Only last month, the challenge to the Town Council’s finances was revealed with millions needing to be spent in the short-term to make buildings like the Town Hall fit for purpose.

As a result, there has been a halt on all non-essential spending and projects.