DIMBOOLA's new skate park is almost complete.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Queensland-based company Trinity Skate Parks has been working on the park in the town’s recreation reserve since November.
Hindmarsh Shire Council awarded the company the tender for the park’s construction in October.
Trinity will also build a skate park in Rainbow, with construction due to start in the next month.
Hindmarsh mayor Ron Ismay said the Dimboola park was impressive.
“It is a totally concreted set-up and in a great location, not far from the Riverside Holiday Park, the football ground, basketball stadium and the Wimmera River,” he said.
“I think the kids in Dimboola are very fortunate to have something like this.”
Cr Ismay said Hindmarsh Youth Council had identified skate parks as one of the most-wanted attractions in the shire.
Hindmarsh council sought funding for the projects, and received a $200,000 state government grant last year.
Cr Ismay said establishing a youth council was on his radar when he joined council about four years ago.
“I was invited to go to Port Fairy for the Rural Summit before I started on council, in my role as Rainbow Town Committee chairman,” he said.
“They had all these young people there and I was absolutely amazed about how enthusiastic they were and how well they spoke.
“I said to Dean Miller – who was Hindmarsh chief executive at the time – that we needed to establish a youth council in our shire.
“It was one of the things I wanted to see happen, so it’s great to see it come to fruition.
“The youth council found skate parks were the number one thing kids wanted to see in their shire.”
Cr Ismay said 12 students would be part of the youth council in 2018.
“That will kick off soon and they'll come up with some new projects and initiatives,” he said.
“They are our future. Some will go away, but some will come back too, and we want to make their ideas work so we can help retain them.”
Rainbow’s skate park will be within the grounds of the former Rainbow Primary School, in the planned community space The Oasis.
Contractors will start work there once the Dimboola park is complete.
Council has asked people not to use the Dimboola Skate Park until it is officially open.
Council posted a message on its Facebook page to say that although the park looked complete, the area was still a work site and the concrete was not set.
The post said a rider used the park before Christmas and caused minor damage.