WEBLINKS
| |
鈥
The 大象传媒 is not responsible for the content of external websites.
|
 |  | Bedworth鈥檚 purpose-built skate park is in the Miners鈥 Welfare Park by the leisure centre on Coventry Road.
| 听 |  | In-liner pulling tricks
|
It is free and is floodlit until 9.30pm Monday to Friday and until 8.30pm Saturday and Sunday. It鈥檚 also covered by CCTV and has a first aid cabin nearby, in case tricks don鈥檛 go quite as planned.
So, it sounds like paradise, but what do the skaters think?
听Read the opinions below and see for yourself if this is your kind of heaven by having a virtual tour of the park. Just click on the two pictures above to launch two 360-degree tours to see the park in action.
You can also click the images button below to see a gallery showing some of the resident skaters strutting their stuff.
听| 听 |  | The Lutterworth crew
|
Kyle, aged 15, is typical of many of the skaters down there. He became interested through a friend, got a skateboard for his birthday and now goes to the park every day.
He said the park was a good part of Bedworth: 鈥淧eople slag it off but I鈥檓 grateful for it. It鈥檚 better than the parks in Coventry and Nuneaton. When it鈥檚 floodlit at night it gets really busy, after school and after work loads of skaters come here.鈥
Chris, aged 16, doesn鈥檛 skate but likes to chill at the park anyway. He said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good place to hang out. The same people come here every day but then there鈥檚 a fair few we don鈥檛 know too, so there鈥檚 always people about.鈥
 People that don鈥檛 skate don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e missing out on. The feeling that you get when you land a trick is amazing, it gives you a massive rush and makes you feel really good about yourself.
 | 听 | Adam, aged 13
|
Ashley and Danny, both aged 13, said they like the park because it鈥檚 鈥減ure street鈥. Danny travels from Lutterworth every weekend with his friends Joe, Jake and Adam. All aged between 11 and 13, they have to rely on lifts from parents, but say it鈥檚 worth it to get to the park.
Danny said: 鈥淲e get bother if we skate street in the town centre, because everyone thinks that just because we鈥檙e skaters we鈥檙e going to cause trouble.
There鈥檚 never been any trouble that we鈥檝e seen here, though. Threats get made sometimes, but nothing bad鈥檚 ever happened that we know about.鈥
听| 听 |  | Practising on the park's rails and ramps
|
The crew from Lutterworth have had a dream inspired by the park. They want to get much better at skating, buy a van and skate all over the world.
Jo said: 鈥淲e want to get a pretty decent car when we鈥檙e older, like a mini van. We can have all our boards in the back and travel the world skating.鈥
They said anyone interested in skating should give it a go. Jake said: 鈥淭hey should try it. They can always stick to the smaller side bit before they get their confidence.鈥
Danny added: 鈥淓veryone brings an adult with them when they come for the first time, too, because they can help you to get a go if it鈥檚 busy and if you hurt yourself, you know they鈥檙e there.鈥
All of them agreed skating is worth the small injuries. Adam said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 just all round fun basically.
"People that don鈥檛 skate don鈥檛 know what they鈥檙e missing out on. The feeling that you get when you land a trick is amazing, it gives you a massive rush and makes you feel really good about yourself.鈥
The others agreed skating at Bedworth gave them confidence, skills and a lot of fun, as well as learning a lot from seeing other skaters.
听| 听 |  | Chilling and watching the skaters
|
The park is surprisingly well looked-after. There is a committee made up of skaters and council members that decided what needs doing and it seems to work very well. The park is in good nick and when we were there a new funbox and kicker were being installed, which the skaters couldn鈥檛 wait to try out.
Still on the wish-list is a half pipe and bowl, so the park is set to develop and get ever better over the next few years.
听The park also hosts competitions and demos. Follow the links on the left to find out more about these or go down there and ask any of the skaters at the park about what events are coming soon.
听Follow the link on the left to the messageboards to let us know what you think of the skate parks in the area.
Which is your favourite? What could make them better?
Let us know.
|
