A Derry campaign group has pledged to "keep pushing" after a recent setback in establishing a city centre skate park.
The Derry Skate Park Campaign spoke of their initial disappointment at the delay in plans after funding for design and development had been secured by Derry City and Strabane District Council.
Proposals for the city's first skate park reached a key stage last year when the council published a consultation asking residents about two short-listed sites- one on Foyle Road and the other under the Peace Bridge.
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However, a spokesperson for the council confirmed those plans had been scrapped after it was not possible to secure residents’ support to develop the potential sites further.
Ronan McElroy from the Derry Skate Park Campaign spoke to MyDerry about the campaign's reaction to this recent setback and the path forward for the campaign.
He said: "Our initial reaction was mixed. I was annoyed, it was hard not to be and when I shared the details with other members of the committee there was a lot of anger as they felt let down again.
"Our members don't understand why there is so much resentment towards the city's young athletes who just want a space to practice and hang out."
After posting on social media about the latest setback, Ronan was contacted by a Foyle Road resident who was not informed on giving feedback on the proposed plans.
He said: "So far some residents on the Foyle road are advising they had never been informed about getting a chance to provide input. I am currently trying to find out more information on this."
Going forward, the campaign is seeking alternative locations and viable developments that can finally see this project pushed over the line.
Ronan said: "We are currently trying to put together a list of locations. And also a few different ideas that may aid in more than just a skate park but also an urban village with shops, cafés, and a skate plaza or park. But this would all be down to funding.
"We keep pushing, we don't give up. The city deserves this park, the skate community is huge at the moment, and will only continue to grow. We need to have a purpose-built area for the upcoming skaters to practice.
"It is extremely important that this issue is resolved as soon as possible. This has been ongoing for over 30 years, 30 years of local residents declining the construction of a park based on stereotypes.
"Surely in 2022 we are beyond that. It is time catch up with every other major city and town in the UK and Ireland."
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