Skateboarders disturbing Varsity Lakes

(By Rawanne Fadool and Alysa Greer – Bond University Journalism Students)

Varsity Lakes shop owners said they were frustrated with skateboarders affecting their businesses.

It’s All about Me shop owner Tara Varley said skateboarders regularly cause problems and damage property. 

“Skateboarders are quite a nuisance,” she said.

“They knock down our signs and then skateboard over them.”

Maviy Studios employee Kerrie Boldiston said she often saw skateboarders around the area.

“They get onto the road and skate back and forth,” she said

“I think it’s very dangerous and I’m worried someone might get hurt.”

Mrs. Boldiston said the skateboarders are very reckless.
“A couple of weeks ago, a skateboarder did a stunt and broke a few windows,” she said.

One Varsity Lakes shop owner said the skateboarders are very intimidating and forcing customers to cross the street which is affecting business.

The Basement shop owner Cameron Williams said security used to be higher which limited skateboarders from skating around the Market Square.

“For some reason local authorities have slacked off on skateboarders,” he said.

“Skateboarders need to be once again controlled as shop owners and residents have become very annoyed with the situation,” Mr Williams said.

Representative Councillor for Division 11, for the Gold Coast City Council Jan Grew said a skateboarding park was established for skateboarders.

Mrs Grew said older people were going to the skateboarding park after dark and would damage the facilities.

“The park created for skateboarders has been damaged, burnt, graphitised and glassed by older people during the night,” she said.

Mrs Grew said she was aware younger kids did not skate at the park anymore because of the continuous damage and are instead skating through Varsity Lakes’ Market Square.

“Everyone is working together to fix this problem,” Mrs Grew said.

Mrs Grew said if skateboarders are disrupting businesses around the area, traders should immediately call the police.