Ararat's Bill Waterston Skate Park officially opened

Sport Minister John Eren visited the city for the opening of the park’s $443,000 redevelopment, and to also announce funding for stage two of the Alexandra Oval redevelopment.

He then told assembled councilors and community members that Ararat Rural City Council’s funding application for $250,000 for Active Link stage two was successful.

The skate park’s opening completed Active Link’s first stage.

The Active Link project will link Kokoda Park to the Scout hall and Alexandra Gardens via the skate park with outdoor recreation and landscaping facilities. Stage two will see the installation of pathways, an outdoor basketball half court, and landscaping. 

“I’m very pleased to be here opening this first stage of the development. As many would know, sport and recreation play a big part in regional and rural areas just like this,” Mr Eren said.

Ararat Rural City Council will contribute $126,000 to the second stage.

Mayor Gwenda Allgood said she was shaking after the announcement.

“It’s just wonderful,” she said.

Councillor Allgood also said the community should be proud of the skate park. 

“What has been created is a fantastic new tourist attraction which has been getting attention across the state,” she said.

World Cup Vert Champion of 2009 and Australian Skateboarding Federation national head skateboarding coach Renton Millar also attended the opening, and congratulated the council on what he called a “unique” facility.

“(Skate Park committee member) John Cranstoun was involved in the design process and one of the things that he wanted to push was for it to be of the (calibre) of the new discipline of park, which is a (new skating) discipline of the Olympics,” he said.

“There are not a lot of park spec skate parks in Australia and for that reason it makes it unique. 

“It’s exactly what park skaters need to skate.”

Mr Millar will start teaching beginner and intermediate skating classes at the park later this year.