This is how a long-awaited new skate park in Bury will look.
The new leisure space, at Clarence Park, has been beset by difficulties after the previous contractor assigned to build it, The Freestyle Collective, went bust mid project, owing Bury Council more than £40,000. Construction of the £225,000 ‘wheeled sports’ park in Clarence Park, which will cater for skate boarding, BMX riding and scooters, began in June last year.
The previous skate park area had been largely cleared in readiness for ramps and other equipment to be installed before the project ground to a halt. CANVAS Spaces Ltd were appointed by the council last year to take over the project and they have held several consultation events with users of the skate park to produce the design. Councillor Kevin Peel has been a keen supporter of the project.
He said: “I’ve been at the meetings and it really has been a collaborative process, with CANVAS listening and changing the design based on feedback in order to incorporate as many requests as possible within the budget we’ve secured. “This design will be subject to further minor tweaks but the final park will look very similar to this.
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“Work will begin on-site in May and be complete in the summer. “We’re very excited.”
The council previously said their procurement section originally put the tender out for the skate park as per their rules and a contract was then awarded to Freestyle Collective after three firms replied with a bid. They said financial and business checks were carried out at that time.
The council have said £55,408.49 had been sent out to Freestyle of which £15,000 was used to remove the old skate park safely. £40,400 was for materials which had not appeared on site. They said the council’s legal team are discussing the terms of the contract with the liquidators and if there will be any recompense.
The council committed £150,000 to the project with a further £75,000 coming from an external grant.
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