A new skatepark in Aspley in memory of a man who died aged 22 is closer to becoming a reality after a massive funding bid was backed by the city council. Friends Jade Adams and Haylee Levers have been campaigning for the skatepark after their friend Ashley Mabbott took his own life in 2016.
Ashley, who lived in Aspley, was passionate about skateboarding and had also campaigned for a skatepark in the area before his death. It could now be built at Broxtowe Country Park using £230,000 if a funding bid being drawn up by Nottingham City Council is approved.
Jade and Haylee created a charity, Heaven Is A Halfpipe, to raise an initial £10,000 through live music events. Jade Adams, 29, said: “Our best friend Ashley was trying to get a skatepark built before he died because there wasn’t one around here.
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“He was passionate about skateboarding. When he died in 2016, we wanted him to be remembered. We emailed the council last year with the idea and they were keen because they want to improve the park anyway.”
Nottingham City Council reports on the plans say there is “huge community support” for the project, which will be built alongside the existing BMX track. The project, which also hopes to raise awareness of issues including mental health and suicide, will be completed by June 2023.
Jade added: “It’s a good feeling that more people are talking about Ashley and we are opening up that conversation about mental health and suicide prevention. We are planning to hold skating sessions with young people and encourage them to talk more.
“We are also fundraising for a concrete skateboard bench with Ashley’s name on it and we want to hand out skateboards when it officially opens. It’s not the most privileged area and we want to give the kids around there a bit of a boost.”
The council plans to use £130,000 of Section 106 funding – money from developers to mitigate against the impacts of new housing on a community. A funding application will also be submitted to the FCC Communities Foundation for a further £100,000.
The council has also worked with Skate Nottingham for the last 12 months to come up with the plans. Councillor Graham Chapman, who represents Aspley for Labour, said: “There’s lots of enthusiasm around the plans. This is absolutely the right place to do it.
“It is a park which could certainly do with more facilities to improve its traction. The Nottingham reputation for skateboarding is developing too and this can be used as a hub to bring people on.
“We are massively underskilled in this city and we are trying to get young people onto further education. Residents are very keen for it to be developed. It will keep kids off the street and gives them something constructive to do.
“One of the biggest problems in the area, and nationally, is childhood obesity and skateboarding will help with that too.”
Council documents explained: “The new facility will encourage children and young people to play outside and enjoy active exercise. In doing so the new facilities will contribute towards improving the health and well-being of the local community.
“Creating a skate park in Broxtowe Country Park will make a quantifiable difference to local young people, the area has one of the highest levels of deprivation in the country and a free facility on their doorstep would offer an opportunity for them to get involved with something new and worthwhile. The consultation and engagement project ran up to August 2022 and 98 per cent of the public are fully in favour of the scheme.”
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