24/2/09 - Malmesbury Skate Comp
I dont know if anyone heard about this on the Local News. But Malmesbury Abbey recently hosted a three day skate event culminating in a competition. I think this event was an incredible idea, Church isn't really my thing, but it was good to see the church reaching out to the our generation, instead of writing us off like so many do. Also, everyone here was super positive, which was ace.
Here's some snaps of my good friend Dan Seago at the Competition.
Oh yeah, Dan totally won.
10/10/08 - Skatepark Update
Skatepark
Where are we now?
Simple answer: without a skatepark. But the reasons behind it go slightly deeper than that. We’ve been asked to put the project on hold as all schools in Wiltshire are currently under review, including Pewsey Vale. As such their hands are tied on the matter, whether they wanted to lease the land or not. As it cannot be leased until the review is finished. With the pressure of this review going on around the premises, The Skatepark/Arts Project is the last thing they wish to concern themselves with. Even when the review is finished it’s not guaranteed we will have full co-operation for the lease of the land. But we will pick up where we left off regarding the skatepark plans.
In the meantime we’re planning a number of activities to keep the ‘youth’ occupied, such as:
- Creating a teen leisure space at the Shak, with a small multi use games area (MUGA), and a mini halfpipe. The Miniramp will be much like the halfpipe that was there until recently, except a bit smaller.
- Moving iPWZ up to the loft of the Shak. We feel this will be a more appropriate setting for iPWZ, as it will be more youth orientated and we can restart game nights and counter strike leagues.
- We’ve initiated a weekly Skateboard club up at the Primary school, as we’ve been informed of great demand for younger kids to be taught Skateboarding.
Sadly this delay in our plans means that much of the funding we were planning on using will have been given out to other projects by the time we will need it. As such, the skatepark will probably have to be built in segments, as we source the funding for each part.
More details on the MUGA, Miniramp and iPWZ/Shak Transfer should be issued in full soon.
10/09/08 - Dont Hold Your Breath...
So, Its going to be at least a year (give or take) before we get to feel the smooth concrete of our new park. I know, I know, I'm heartbroken too, If you want me I'll be in doors eating Ben & Jerrys and watching love actually...(Yeah Right!)
In the meantime, to keep you occupied and empty your pockets on busfare, I'd suggest going to Sk8 M8 for all your spot and park finding needs...
I also found a treasure. well, maybe. It's certainly not soap on a rope...
Might be a laugh..
Oh, and the world didn't get sucked into a mini Black Hole today. Bonus.
08/08/08 - Parish Leaflets & Moved Canoes.
If you recieved a leaflet this morning about the consolidation of the School and sports centre, in the 'other' section, feel free to write 'Skatepark' You know you want to.
We've also moved the Canoes/Kayaks out of the container now, and set the date for starting as...errm...soon...
22/7/08 Miniramp So it’s almost August. Summer looms its potentially shiny brilliant head and we need somewhere to skate, I mean, something to demonstrate how popular skateboarding actually is within the community. A big wooden public relations tool. Grab the tools boys! It’s ramp building season!
That’s right we’re re-building the Shak’s skate ramp, but better, much better, maybe.
After a brief chat with Rich, who has already built his own ramp, Connor and I had the plans. Vague and Imperial as they were, we did the Maths and guessed at the metric equivalents. Then we wrote a shopping list.
| Item | Cost | Quantity | Sub Total | | |
18mm Ply
| 25.86 | 11 | 284.46 | | |
9mm Ply
| 20.26 | 12 | 243.12 | | |
| 2x4 sleepers | 164 | 2 | 328 | | |
| Washers | 0.11 | 16 | 1.76 | | |
| 60mm Galvanized Woodscrews | 6.17 | 3 | 18.51 | | |
| 80mm Galvanized Woodscrews | 7.99 | 3 | 23.97 | | |
| 80mm Lag Screws | | 16 | | | |
| 40mm Panhead Screws | | 16 | | | |
| 2600mm Metal Piping | | 2 | | | |
| | | | Total | 899.82 |
Again, Vague, but it gives us a rough idea. Next we’ll need a place to store it untill we're ready to build. Like the Shak platform container! Sorted! 
Oh wait it’s full of canoes.
Did not expect that...
This Leaves us with a to do list of:
• Empty container
• Source wood
• Order wood
• Get building!
1/7/08 Public Meeting
It’s 1:30 in the afternoon, we’re trying to move a six piece mini ramp, made out of wood and held together with
“galvanized” woodscrews. Call me pedantic, but in my dictionary, galvanized means rust-proof. Oh, how wrong
I was. Back on subject: There’s a public meeting tonight, Connor and I have spent the past week promoting it,
and we don’t know if one hundred people are going to show up or if we’ll be talking to ourselves.
Oh, how about that. Over one hundred and twenty people. After a brief amount of manic laughter backstage we
got down to business, with Terry Kemp chairing. We kicked off with Alex Carder, Chairman of the Parish
Council, explaining the Parish’s involvement with PACT and their support for the concept and how he’d been
working with Peter Deck from the Pewsey Community Planning Partnership. Peter, our next speaker
explained that funding was not an issue, and that the PCPP was fully behind the project. Peter was followed up
by the Pewsey Youth Council, a gang of up and coming go-getters who explained their involvement with the
project,
the community, and their thoughts on the plan.
Finally, to outline the proposal, Lee Grafton explained the need for a
skatepark: How it would provide an alternative space for the local youth
and put their actions to more positive uses.
• Skateboarding itself, a good all-round exercise.
• Photography and Videography, two peripherals of skateboarding culture and art.
• The Accompanying Art and Musical styles.
Lee went on to tell of how these activities and fashions have permeated
our culture, making a focus point for these activities a safe bet for the
future of the village. He also outlined what he’d being doing towards the
plan.
Next in the sequence of events was
opening the floor to a little Q&A.
First question forwarded was, “Are any of the school governers even
present?” A question easily answered by Counciller Molland as he took the
floor and a heated debate ensued as to the validity of the schools actions,
the location of the project, whether the governers were properly representing
the pupils of Pewsey vale who are the youth of Pewsey, and even the
accuracy of the Minutes of the governers meeting.
After this dramatic sequence of events things calmed slightly, with a few
issues being raised on maintanence and supervision. A prevailing and
incredibly valid issue was whether putting an ampitheatre next to a mainline
railway was particularly wise. Last time I checked, not many Shakespearian
pieces feature cameos from Thomas and friends. None in fact. Amongst the
comments was the tragic story of Devizes’ short-lived skatepark and how one
single complaint shut the whole thing down; leaving much of the young
population lonely, without a place to meet like-minded individuals and relax in
a safe and welcoming environment.
The meeting was closed with a vote for the skate park and as can be seen below, support was abundant and it
was decided to form a sub committee to continue the action.
After the Meeting there was a short demonstration by local skaters on Rich’s Miniramp. A glimpse at future
fame perhaps?
