Police urging council to fix Nimbin skate park | Northern Rivers Politics | Local Politics in Northern Rivers

WITH more than $1 million on the table to fund community infrastructure projects, Lismore Police are urging the Lismore City Council to complete the Nimbin skate park.

Richmond Local Area Command Superintendent Bruce Lyons said the skate park would be an invaluable crime prevention tool that would help keep potential trouble-makers occupied.

However, Lismore Mayor Jenny Dowell said there were other competing priorities.

The money is part of the more than $3.3 million being injected into local councils through the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. Lismore City Council is to receive $1.049 million.

Supt Lyons said the Nimbin skate park was one project worthy of consideration.

“I know community members would see it as a safe place to have kids do something worthwhile, off the streets,” he said.

Crime Prevention Officer Snr Const Michael Hogan agreed the skate park could be a crime prevention tool, especially for 14 to 24-year-olds.

“Not to belittle the young people in Nimbin, but if they are occupied, they don’t leave themselves open to doing things they probably shouldn’t do,” he said.

However, Cr Dowell said while she ‘would love to see the Nimbin skate park completed’, it may not be the right project for the funding.

“There are many competing priorities, and we will do our best to make the maximum number of people happy,” she said.

The council has identified three projects as potential funding recipients:

• The youth plaza at Goonellabah

• The Nesbitt Park redevelopment and

• Contributions towards maintaining rural halls.

Council staff will prepare a report on the various options, with councillors expected to vote on the issue at a meeting on December 9.

“The skate park would give them a place to learn new skills and challenge themselves...there are so many life pointers there it’s not funny.”

Snr Const Hogan said the Ballina skate park was a good example of how such a facility could work well, saying while there was a pecking order amongst skaters, ‘everyone got a go’ and the older skaters often taught the younger ones new skills.