A new skatepark built in memory of a British champion who died in a freak accident has finally got a start date thanks to additional funding. The Richard Taylor Memorial Skatepark at the Knap in Barry was already on the cards after £330,000 was raised through fundraising, grants and council funding for a replacement of the existing facility.
However, an additional £80,900 was needed to pay for the design of the new concrete skatepark by Bendcrete Leisure Ltd. Now that the funds have been secured through the National Lottery Community Fund and with the final design agreed upon, construction looks set to begin on the site in late April.
The current facility opened in 2007 in memory of Barry-based British champion skater Richard Taylor, who died suddenly at the age of 23. Richard's mother, Gaynor Taylor, said: "I am thrilled that the Lottery has provided the extra funding needed for the new Richard Taylor Memorial Skatepark to proceed. I am really looking forward to Bendcrete coming on site."
Gaynor added: "I’d like to thank Sport Wales, the Vale of Glamorgan Council, the National Lottery Community Fund, the Waterloo Foundation, the South Wales Police Youth Trust and the generosity of everyone who have made donations to make this project possible." Richard was the British inline skate champion when he died in 2004. It is hoped that the new facility will help to inspire and foster new talent in the area.
Of the hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for the replacement skatepark, £200,000 was secured through a grant from Sport Wales, £100,000 was supplied through council capital funding and £30,000 was raised through the Richard Taylor Memorial Fund. A consultation process on the proposed new development was held with residents, members of the skating community and Bendcrete Leisure Ltd.
Vale of Glamorgan Council cabinet member for sport, leisure and well-being, Councillor Gwyn John, said: "Whilst we haven’t been able to incorporate all the requests made during the consultation, the new design will cater for everybody, and offers challenging transfer lines for the more advance riders. I’m really pleased that the council, in partnership with the Richard Taylor Memorial Fund and Sport Wales, will deliver a top quality facility for the skate community in a well-established and popular location."
The council anticipates that it will take about 14 weeks for the new skatepark to be built.
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