Skatepark to provide Olympic opportunities
National Grid community funding helps make the dream of a new wheels and skatepark a reality in Portishead.
The new, £360,000 world-class Portishead Wheels and Skatepark (WASP) has been made possible through crowdfunding, council funding and charity grants, including £17,000 from National Grid's Community Grant Fund.
After more than fifteen years of campaigning, local people can now use the skating facility, which has been described as ‘Olympic standard’. The park is a free space for anyone who wants to try out their skateboard, roller skate or scooter skills on a range of half pipes, pyramids, ramps and stair-sets.
National Grid takes great pride in supporting local communities
Portishead WASP will play an important part in keeping young people occupied and active on the weekends, which has the potential to reduce crime and improve wellbeing of local residents. It is also hoped that people from all age groups across the South West will have the chance to wheel across a range of skating features, which will provide a welcome tourism boost for local businesses.
Cllr Ben Aldridge, Chairman of Portishead WASP said, “After over 15 years of campaigning it's great to be able to deliver an Olympic-standard wheels and skate park for families and young people in Portishead. It’s been brilliant to see how well the park is being used since it opened.
“If you buy into people they buy into you and that’s what we’re seeing here in Portishead with this new facility. The design is so good we’re seeing people travel from further afield to be here. Who knows, our next Olympic skateboard champion could be from Portishead. Wouldn’t that be something?”
Over £1.1m in grants have been awarded to date to 70+ local initiatives in towns and villages in Somerset impacted by construction activity on National Grid's Hinkley Connection Project.
Russell Hancock, National Grid's Safety, Health and Environment Manager on the Hinkley Connection Project said, “National Grid takes great pride in supporting local communities and it’s always fantastic to see first-hand how a substantial new community asset like this can benefit the health and wellbeing of local communities."
Members of the community are invited to a launch party will be held on Sunday 9 July.
For more information, visit the Portishead Wheels and Skatepark website.
