There are some small changes to the design that we have shown you already (See below) but we don’t have the final drawings to show you yet. From what we have heard it is just adding some bumps and rails in the perimeter space but we will get the drawings up when we get them.
Bendcrete is definitely building it at a cost of £240,000 for the concrete park. The total project cost is £457,000 when you add in landscaping, CCTV, bins, fences, lights, VAT and professional fees. The skaters in KSI raised almost the total cost of the project £187K from the Big Lottery Young Peoples’ Fund and £230K from WREN the landfill tax scheme which they were awarded in November ’06.
East Dunbartonshire Council have leased the site given the KSI a lot of guidance and in kind support during the 4 1/2 years it has taken them to get to this stage.
Some aspects of the site are not good. It is near a river so Bendcrete have to bring in specialists to build a ‘raft’ so the skatepark won’t sink! It is also difficult to get the concrete Jaegers on to the site. But it is in a valley with mature trees protecting the nearby housing from the noise.
And access is okay. It is about 5 -10 minutes on a board, 15-20 max walking slowly, from Lenzie train station – trains from Glasgow, Falkirk, a couple from Edinburgh, Dunblane stop here. Good bus links with Glasgow, Falkirk, Cumbernauld etc. It is also easy to get to on a bike from the surrounding area. It is beside the Forth/Clyde Canal towpath which runs from Unit 23 on the West to Falkirk skatepark on the East plus there is a network of paths along disused railways. By car it is along the M8 to the Blochairn/M80 junction, North up the M80 to the Kirkintilloch Junction and then straight on for about 3 miles. There is free parking nearby at the Pavilion or at the leisure centre. There is a Sainsbury’s supermarket which is close and a good place to get food and drink as well as toilets. There are chip shops, Subways and lots more in the town centre.
When they put in the electric supply for the lights they will have a connection so gigs can go down in the park. Lots of local groups have played in the past for fundraising gigs etc and there is a good flat area where a stage could be erected. The Council seem to be up for this which is great.
There might be a celebration jam in Unit 23 at some point in the future. We will let you know if we get any more details.
