Portrush: Fresh calls for skateboard park in town

Skateboarders in Portrush have renewed their calls to the local council for a skate park in the town.

They have been campaigning for a purpose-built urban sports park for almost 30 years.

Earlier this year, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council unanimously supported leasing land in the town for the development of a purpose-built urban park.

That is understood to be progressing through the council.

Stuart Cullen owns a skate shop in the County Antrim town and said skating is "part of the fabric" of the north coast.

"I sat on a council committee 24 years ago, where we thought we were about to have a skate park. Twenty-four years later, we're still trying to get one."

Stuart said insurance was a problem in the past "but those problems don't exist anymore".

Skaters say a new park would provide a safe space where they would not run into people

Young people can be seen skating, cycling BMX bicycles or using scooters outside the town's train station every week.

The Causeway Association of Urban Sports (CAUS) was established 13 years ago and has been calling for a skate park ever since.

Jonathan Farley from the Causeway Association of Urban Sports said they still battle to get a skate park

Jonathan Farley from CAUS said: "Since we have started, about five skate parks have come up in Northern Ireland.

"We have bridges in Belfast, Carrickfergus has a park, Banbridge, Newtownabbey has a new one and Ballymena's is currently getting built.

"But yet here on the north coast with a massive skate community and surf community… we still battle to get a skate park provided for ourselves."

A large crowd attended an event in Portrush on Saturday which was organised by skaters to gauge the level of support for their campaign

A large crowd attended an event in Portrush on Saturday that was organised by skaters to gauge the level of support for their campaign.

Rachael, 11, said: "It's a part of the community down here and that's why we really need one.

"People just normally walk through here, they walk in front of the ramps.

"They don't know that's where we're trying to do tricks so having a skate park means we would have a safe space and not run in to other people."