Voters back skateboard facility

Part of the park will be converted for skateboarders and BMX riders

Plans for a skate park in Jersey's People's Park will go ahead, following a vote at a parish assembly.

Fifty three people at the meeting in the Town Hall voted in favour of the plans, compared to 37 against.

It means part of the land in the south west corner of the park will be converted for use by skateboarders and BMX bike riders.

Local residents group, the Friends of People's Park, says it remains opposed to the plans.

Town Constable Simon Crowcroft, says measures are being put in place to dispel some of their concerns.

"There was obviously a lot of discussion and quite a lot of opposition to it by people who came to say they didn't oppose skateboarding but they didn't want it there and I think the case was well made by the young people," he said.

Rushed through

"Their message was if you really want skateboarding to be done in a place like this rather than all over town then you have to support it here, because it isn't going to happen anywhere else."

But Dee Shrives from the Friends of People's Park says she is not convinced and is extremely disappointed with Constable Crowcroft.

"He seems to be flying the banner of youth of the island but I'm sorry, I don't think 100 skateboarders represent the youth of the island," she said.

"Our constable seems to be ageist. He didn't care a toss about the old people who live next to the park, it seems it's all just been rushed through."