Jamestown's Skate Park

[Ray]

Yep,.. that's the place. Our Council in their infinite wisdom have made it impossible to have a horse in the park lands now, yet they seem to allow sheep which is one of the animals specifically banned. I think that the influence of certain people on council may be the cause of this.

[utegirl70]

So where do people keep their horses now then? I recall a few places that I believe council owned, that used to agist... are they all gone?

....and, sheep? How is sheep in there any different to horses?

[Ray]

Like I said, if you want to keep a horse, it appears that you have to find agistment yourself. It's one of those laws that the council can enforce if the wish to, and in their great wisdom they have elected to do it. Section whatever of the Town Planning Act states,.... Blah, blah, blah, y'know the old story.  You can have a horse in the Adelaide parklands facing Robe Terrace in Medindie, yet you can't have one in Jamestown.

It appears that the difference between horses and sheep is that someone can make a bob out of sheep whereas people only get personal enjoyment out of horses.

I know of one family, the Dunn's, who left Jamestown primarily because they came here looking for a country lifestyle, only to be buggered about so much they went to Saddleworth where they could have their horses for the kids. We live in the country by choice, but now have to abide by laws made by and for, those living in Burnside or Toorak. It's sad, I'm not going to move now, but if I could have seen this 20 years ago I would have gone then.

It's sad really. If you can't have a country lifestyle in the country, where can you have it??

[utegirl70]

Big knobs... thinking they can "better" the place with Hoity-toity views and decisions. 

We live in a small country town too... but, unfortunately for us, everyone has seen what a "Lovely little quaint country town" it is, and now the mass population has decided to also live here..hence it's no longer a "nice little quaint country town".

I don't know what it is with horses and councils. I mean, where would we be if it weren't for horses? Jamestown was more than likely built via the horses back.

[Ray]

This post is presently under construction, please bear with me while I gather my somewhat scattered resources.
I've got a bit to say,... Yeah,... I know, so what's different.

At last we have some action, it was noticed by "The Little Woman' on the 2nd. February 2010, that concreting has commenced at the Skate Park.

It appears that although there has been little visible action over the last few years, there have been a number of very dedicated persons working  steadily behind the scenes to see this project through to fruition.



02 Feb 2010

Over the succeeding weeks it all started to come together with a Port Pirie firm providing much of the labour and the great work of Ian Garde our local concrete artiste,  seen hard at work below. I believe that "Gardy" donated his expertise which involved a considerable amount of backbreaking work, which like most experts he made look easy.



12 February 2010

Once the job was started, it moved along very quickly.



15 Feb 2010

It wasn’t until Thursday, 13 March,  that I saw it in use, after watching it’s, on again, off again, progress over the last two or more years.



13 March 2010

I must say that on the days that I have been present,  I was quite surprised at the good behaviour of the kids using the facility. On more than one occasion, several of the older users (12 -16 year olds) held up the traffic to allow the “littlies” to have a go on their own rather than having to thread their way through the larger and faster traffic.

On every occasion that I have been at the Skate Park, it has been very busy, and already it seems that it will probably need extending when finances allow,…   and from what I can see, it seems that provision has been made for this on the Southern side.

I fully realise that as yet, it is only early days, but to me,  the money seems to have been well spent.  Of course it remains to be seen how the area is treated by those who frequent the area.

To be Continued....... (It's 04:30am )

[hatchbackgirl75]

Quaint little country towns don't have skate parks ... they have doily shops and antique stores and old people sitting on wide verandahs in rocking chairs. The masses haven't found Jamestown yet but looking at all the new houses being built it won't be long. We've signed our souls away for a new house here ourselves.

We didn't move here for the country lifestyle at all - I actually moved to Terowie from Adelaide originally purely because it was so CHEAP and then we discovered Jamestown, decided it had basically everything we needed (except a fancy ultrasound machine and a baby/children's clothing store and an Ikea) and moved here instead. Half of the inlaws (who fancy themselves the Toorak sort although they don't live in Toorak or earn as much as Toorak residents) look down their nose at us because we're in the country.

The Child absolutely loves the skate park though 

[Ray]

As far as I'm concerned, Jamestown is SA's best kept secret, I've been all over the world, and I can't think of a single other place where I would consider moving to. But, as you say, people seem to be coming aware of it and there seems to be a slow but steady stream of families moving here from other places. Although the idea of a rocking chair on the verandah doesn't sound all that bad, such pity I'd never get time to sit in it though.

I'm certainly glad to see our Skate park up and running, it has been a great hit with the kids of all ages. I have been there three times since I became aware that it was being used and  it has had almost all the kids that it can handle. I hope that in time it's popularity will attract more attention and some money in the way of grants and public donations so that it can be improved and enlarged.

I saw your eldest there on my first visit and have seen her several times on her scooter, in fact no doubt you will have noticed that she is in the photo in my last post.  

I have quite a lot of photos and a short video clip which I will endeavour to put up as soon as I can in some semblance of order.

[utegirl70]

Wow.

And the little town grows. 

I can remember that paddock full of horses. Not so much now hey.   

Our little town here is also on the growth spurt. We now have a bus route! Started here on 1st March.

[Ray]

To be really honest, I'm not really in favour of rampant development, the only thing is that it is better than going backwards. however it does remove a lot of the rural ambience, but I guess you can't have everything.

[Ray]

The Skate Park was officially opened by Councillor Merv Robinson at 4:00pm on 26th March 2010, before a crowd of interested adults and all too eager kids.



Thanks was given to all those who helped bring this project to fruition with a short speech by Shawn Adams and his wife Teresa who were the initial movers of this great project, in which Shaun detailed much of the the nine and a half years of constant and often frustrating effort required, special mention was made of the Loader family who have spent many hours  helping with can collection and sales of Raffle tickets and Chocolates to help raise the necessary funds.

[Ray]

I suppose that it was only a matter of time, but we are seeing the first signs of vandalism at the Skate park, the sign with the Safety Phone numbers  has already had to be repaired, with some idiot having removed several of the numbers and letters.

The repairs were done free of charge, by our local signwriter, but it won't go on for ever.

On a similar note, several bike riders were seen yesterday, using the front ramp at the Uniting Church as a practice area.

[utegirl70]

"Give them an inch, they'll take a mile.."

Unfortunate that a few low lifes make it bad for everyone.
The fact that the youngsters have been wanting something to keep them occupied for so long, and then they get it, and then a few ingrates wreck it... perhaps if it was left up to them to repair vandalism, they would think twice before damaging property.

[Ray]

You don't have to give some of them anything, but they'll just grab what they want anyway.

I'd be willing to bet that these idiots are some of those who continually bleated about not having a place where they could use their bikes and scooters etc.,    yet when they do get it at great expense to the rate payers, they are too damned lazy to go and use it.

Fortunately they are in the minority and for the most part the kids are using the skate park responsibly.