LEYTONSTONE: Skate park re-opens after £132,000 revamp (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

LEYTONSTONE: Skate park re-opens after £132,000 revamp

1:17pm Wednesday 8th September 2010 in

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A LEYTONSONE skate park has re-opened after a £132,000 revamp.

Cann Hall Skate Park was closed last year after falling into disrepair.

But the park re-opened last night after a much-needed £67,000 investment from Waltham Forest Council's Greenspace department.

There was also £55,000 of government funding secured by the council's youth service team and a £10,000 donation from the local police Safer Neighbourhood Team.

The park now includes new ramps and a new-and-improved layout.

There have also been improvements to the on-site pavilion.

Skatenstone volunteer Mike Bishop said: "The great thing about Cann Hall Skate Park is the passion and diversity of its users.

“You can see such a broad range of ages, races and genders coming together to protect and further a local amenity, when the skate park was falling in to disrepair they banded together to fight for its survival and were successful in re-creating the skate park’s former charms and friendly atmosphere - it’s been a true community effort."

Cllr Geraldine Reardon, cabinet member for leisure, arts and culture, said: “The skate park and pavilion look fantastic and the display the young people was frankly astonishing.

"There’s been a great atmosphere today and a real sense of a community pulling together to make this part of Leytonstone a better place. I’d encourage anyone to pop by and see the difference this work has made, even if they haven't quite got the courage to hop on a skateboard or BMX themselves.”

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