Event marks official opening of skate bowl facilities
Improved skate bowl facilities at Trin Youth Club, Cleethorpes will be open to the public on Saturday, August 11, to celebrate the work that has recently been undertaken to provide an all-year-round sports hub for young people.
The Trinity Bowl Jam will take place from noon to 8pm and all residents are invited to the open day. Activities include: free sessions for skaters, scooters, BMX bikers and bladers including skate jams and trick contests; DJ music and commentary throughout the day; a climbing wall, football sessions from Grimsby Town Football Club; wood carving demonstrations from Greenheart and live music in the Youth Centre. Barbeque food and other refreshments will be available to buy.
Joel Robinson, chair of Giving Young People Opportunities, a group that has played an important role in the project, said: “The completion of the bowl will mean young people have somewhere to go in the dark winter months as an indoor facility does not yet exist in the local area. The new lighting means users can continue to ride the facility in the evenings when before it would have been too dark. This should give people the opportunity to develop their skills and stay fit throughout the winter as well as giving an alternative to crime.”
The Skate Bowl is always well used during the summer months but a steering group was formed following requests from young people to improve the surrounding surface to the bowl, provide some shelter and to make the bowl more accessible during the winter months by installing some lighting.
Councillor Mick Burnett, the council’s portfolio holder for tourism and culture, is delighted with the refurbishment. He said: “It has been eagerly anticipated and young people will now be able to use the facility all year round. A big thank you to all of the supporters and funders, without them and of course the young people, this would not have been possible.”
Project coordinator John Manton said: “This is an excellent example of partnership working between young people, resident groups, agencies, and ward councillors that has resulted in delivering improvements to an existing facility. The youth club is now the best facility we have in the area for urban sports and we know the young people are very proud of it.”
Over the last couple of years the steering group has secured over £20,000 from applications to: Awards for All; Shoreline Housing Partnership, Tribune Trust and Youth Bank. In addition contributions have come from ward councillors, Voluntary Action and North East Lincolnshire Council’s arts and neighbourhood operations sections.
In addition to those mentioned above the steering group is made up of Urban Sports Group ‘Giving Young People Opportunities’, Beacon Hill Community Association, NELC’s young people’s support services and neighbourhood development sections.
Event details / timing:
Noon to 1pm: Photocall and official opening of the bowl
1pm to 2pm: Scooters/Bladers free session
2pm to 4pm: BMX/Skate free session
4pm to 5pm: Skate jam with best trick contest
5pm to 6pm: BMX jam with best trick contest
6pm to 8pm: free session
8pm: finish