The Skate Park is now complete and ready for the official opening on Sunday.
Years of work will come to fruition this weekend with the grand opening of the Harden Skate Park, a project that has been spearheaded by community members and supported by the residents of the Twin Towns. The push for such a facility began four years ago, and soon gained support amongst the community and members of the former Harden Shire Council. Dozens of fundraisers were arranged by the small committee responsible, with raffles, street stalls and barbecues raising nearly $20,000.
The business and farming communities of Harden also aided in the the fundraising, with contributions coming from Southern Phone, Bendigo Bank, Garangula Sibelco and the Kruger Trust. The project was put through a public tender process by the former Harden Shire, and was awarded to Precision Skateparks Pty Ltd early this year, with construction commencing in April. Shire Engineer Mark Crisp said “It has been a long process but very rewarding, I think there has been over 1000 emails sent between the contractor and myself.” Crisp said “The contractors were fantastic and the finshed product is of a very high standard. Nothing was too hard for them and they worked very well with us. The committee, comprised of Cathy Sanderson, Kellie Potts, Michelle Iriving and Amanda Shea was instrumental ensuring community support for the project. Cathy, a former Harden Councillor, says that she has long had a “general interest in youth as our future,” and noted that “[Harden] had next to nothing for our youth who weren’t interested in sport.” Kellie shared similar sentiments, saying that despite the fact that her children weren’t interested, it was good to see investment in the youth of town.
Facebook proved a valuable asset for the committee, with Kellie saying it was instrumental in keeping the town interested and up to date. Amanda’s sons, Gus and Sam had a keen interest in the project, creating a petition that they got many of their friends and classmates to sign. She says her interest in the park stemmed from there and as treasurer, she and her children assisted with the many fundraisers the committee held. Michelle says when her sons were younger, she would take them to skate parks in surrounding towns, and realised what a great addition to the town it would be. “I hope they appreciate the skate park, and take pride in it,” Michelle said.
The four women were key in ensuring the project got off the ground, and their contribution has proven invaluable. The opening will begin at 9:45am, Sunday the 18th of September, with an introduction from the Canberra Skateboarders Association, who will also coach any interested people. The formal opening will commence at 11am, before a local competition for local skaters at 12:30pm. All locals are invited to attend. Mark Crisp and the four ladies who drove this project deserve the gratitude of the community. The Skate Park is the single biggest piece of infrastructure designed for the youth of this communty. It will stand the test of time as a valuable way for the Youth and young adults to engage with each other in a place they can truly call their own.
