Parents’ fury at pay threat to skaters
Spotlight on this week's Ribble Valley hot properties by Faiza Afzaal
© THE newly-installed Mayor of Ribble Valley, Coun. Doreen Taylor, was happy to join in the fun when she had her face paint ed at Chipping Steam Fair. Clitheroe-based face painter Maria Bird,
of Arty-Facial, whisked her brushes over the Mayoral visage to colourful effect. For more pictures from Chipping Steam
Fair, see page 4 and visit our website:
www.clitheroeadvertiscr.co.uk
for a special slide show.
O OUR Class of 2007 series continues with schools in Clitheroe, Sabden, Grindleton and Whalley visited by our photographer. Turn to page 16 to see this week’s pic
tures.
© A CLITHEROE supermarket closed on Tuesday, following a decision toaxe 79 of its branches across the country. Workers refused to comment as we went to press yesterday, but are awaiting union negotia tion over redundancy payments. See page 2 for the full story.
OFFICIALS behind Clitheroe’s skatepark have responded to criti cism at plans to charge local skaters for using the facility. However, furious parents remain
adamant that the award-winning sports park was built as a free facility and should remain so. As reported in last week’s Clitheroe
Advertiser and Times, a proposal by the Oasis Trust - a Christian-based charity that manages and funds the park in the Castle Grounds - has been submitted to Ribble Valley Borough Council to amend the lease and charge skaters to use the community facility. Under the plans, which are in their
initial stages, the cost, if given the go- ahead, is likely to be in the region of £1 for a day’s skate, but would favour young people and regular users, with reduced price season tickets being available. Bosses believe the move will encour
age users to look after and value the state-of-the-art park and may even lead to the introduction of trained vol unteers who can supervise talented youngsters honing their skating skills in safe surroundings.
In a letter to the Clitheroe Adver
tiser and Times (see page 2), Mr Tim Funnell, skate sendees manager, has explained the reasons behind the move. He said: “The management of the skatepark believe that having staff to run the facility, who can be accountable and deliver professional and reliable provision, is in the best interests of the town and those who use the park. “Before Oasis took on the manage
ment, staff costs were funded by the Lancaster Foundation, and since the change of management we need to meet these costs.” However, this explanation has failed
to convince young skaters and their parents who are insisting that the facility remain free of charge. Clitheroe resident, Mrs Gill Mar
shall’s four children use the skatepark on a daily basis. If charges are intro duced, she says she cannot fund her children to use the park. “It was built as a free facility and
should remain free,” she commented. “My children are aged 10,12,14 and 21. They use the skatepark on a daily basis. “If charges are introduced, I’m looking at forking out £28 a week, which I cannot afford. “One of the reasons the skatepark
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was built was to curb juvenile nui sance in the town. Charging young people will not only ruin the facility, but will lead to more and more young sters hanging around the streets of Clitheroe with nothing to do.” A similar opinion was voiced by
local skater Ryan Carter, who said: “There are not enough free activities for youngsters at the moment without
taking this one away. It’s disgusting." Clitheroe skatepark has been voted
the third best outdoor skatepark in the country. It opened after a gener ous donation of £250,000 from the Lancaster Foundation. © To have your say about plans to
charge skaters, log on to
www.clilheroeadvertiser.co.uk
§1 l:
SKATERS waiting for the com mittee's decision in Clitheroe's Market Place, (s)
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