Call for closer skate park

(By Molly Herbranson and CJ Barr - Bond University Journalism Students)

Without a skate park within five kilometres of central Varsity Lakes, local skateboarders resort to skating on sidewalks, streets and car parks, often disrupting businesses and creating safety concerns.

Varsity Lakes’ only skate park is in Janette Green Park near Burleigh Waters, which 14-year-old skater Corey Snell said was a more than 20-minute skateboard ride from Varsity College.

“It’s too far away so I skate the streets around here instead, but sometimes businesses tell us off and we just have to leave,” he said.

“If there was a skate park more close by, I would progress more quickly and learn tricks faster.”

A 2008 study by Griffith University psychology professor Dr Graham Bradley and Gold Coast City Council representative Kiri Stinson found about one quarter of Gold Coast state high school students were involved in skateboarding and skate park activities.

Mecca restaurant employee and skateboarding veteran Matt Loone said having a skate park nearby would help keep Varsity Lakes skaters off busy streets.

“I’m a skateboarder myself and think it’s important kids have a safe place to practice their tricks where they won’t be in the way of businesses and cars,” he said.

“It would help keep them out of trouble.”

Local skateboarder Jordan Lewis, 14, said Varsity Lakes was a prime location for a new skate park.

“I like to skate in Varsity [Lakes] because it’s close to where I live so if there was a real park I’d go there instead of the streets,” he said.

“People come around all the time to skate in Varsity [Lakes], so I reckon a new park would be really popular.”