Lancaster and Fleetwood MP jumps on board city skate park improvement plea

Cat Smith joined two skateboarders at the skate park next to the River Lune in Lancaster to hear about their ideas to improve the site.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Molly Vaughan-Wallis, 28, is calling for a female only night to be set up at Lancaster Skate Park, in light of more girls taking up the sport.

Molly, along with Adam Hardman, 36, from Lancaster, is calling for better lighting during the winter months, as well as general improvements to appeal to all levels of skill.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ms Smith said: "Molly had got in touch with me to highlight some changes the skating community would like to make to their park.

Lancaster MP Cat Smith takes skateboarding instructions from Molly at Lancaster Skatepark.Lancaster MP Cat Smith takes skateboarding instructions from Molly at Lancaster Skatepark.
Lancaster MP Cat Smith takes skateboarding instructions from Molly at Lancaster Skatepark.

"Skateboarding across the UK is seeing a massive resurgence with new (like Molly) and re-engaged skaters (like Adam) jumping on boards and hitting the ramps.

"The growth in skateboarding in the last six months is another outcome from the Covid lockdown and I’m really excited that one of the biggest changes is more girls taking up the sport.

"With skateboarding becoming an Olympic Sport for the first time in Tokyo next year it’s likely there’ll be an even bigger explosion of interest."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Molly said: “As a female skateboarder it can be daunting to start off in a male-dominated sport and the nearest all girls skate night is all the way in Manchester.

Cat Smith with Adam at the skatepark.Cat Smith with Adam at the skatepark.
Cat Smith with Adam at the skatepark.

"It would be great if we could introduce this in Lancaster?"

She also raised the issue of shorter days resulting in less opportunities to use the facility.

She said: "It will be practically impossible to use the skatepark during winter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Once it goes dark or starts raining, skaters do try and find alternative and empty places to skate but more often than not they will be told to leave, which means there is nowhere for us to practice, learn and have fun.

Skateboarders are calling for better facilities in Lancaster.Skateboarders are calling for better facilities in Lancaster.
Skateboarders are calling for better facilities in Lancaster.

"There are only so many ollies one can attempt in their carpeted living room!”

Ms Smith said that the park was built 17 years ago and could do with an update.

Molly said: “We have two quarter pipes, a flat bank, a box, block and a rail.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"For beginners the height and disproportionate sizing of the pipes makes skating extremely difficult and practically impossible – I mean, who wants their first drop in experience (scary enough on a mini ramp), looking down a quarter pipe?

"A good skatepark will normally include more flowing obstacles such as a flowing bowl, mini ramps or wave ramps, which are great for beginners.”

Molly said she had also formed new friendships since starting skateboarding, both in person and online.

"It has also given me ideas for starting my own business," she said.

"There is a real sense of community in skating.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"It would be amazing if we could make skating more accessible in Lancaster for beginners, especially for women and girls who feel intimidated to enter a male-dominated sport.

"I know that if we had a skatepark with easier obstacles and ramps, I’d be less nervous to go to the skatepark – because there isn’t a great deal I can do there as it is now.”

Ms Smith said she would be writing to the city council to start a dialogue on how improvements can be made.

A spokesperson for Lancaster City Council said: "One of the council’s priorities is to work in partnership with local communities to improve recreational provision for young people in their area.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The Lancaster Skate Park is a popular attraction and we therefore look forward to hearing from the users of the park so we can discuss ways in which the skate park might be updated and made more exciting and accessible to skateboarders of all levels."