A $1.58 million makeover for Murwillumbah’s Knox Park youth precinct is now complete and young skateboarders who tested the new skate ramp last week gave it the thumbs up.
As well as the ‘plaza-style’ skate and scooter precinct, the new facility includes an adventure playground with cutting-edge design features and facilities for basketball, handball, soccer and netball.
A design feature of the youth space is its location close to the recently opened multi-purpose community centre, which includes a dedicated youth centre staffed by two youth-related services.
Crystal Creek resident Sam Messina said he had been enjoying the new skate park with his family up to four times a week.
‘The new park is going to be good for the town, good for the kids and it’s made a huge difference to the whole Knox Park area,’ Sam said.
‘It just gives a really good family environment and element; every time I come down there are families with their kids.’
Shelley Wilson from the CoolHeads youth program, which held a free barbecue on the day, said the new facilities would mean a lot to youth in the area.
‘It’s lovely to be a part of a day like this when we see a celebration that has brought kids a lot of joy,’ Ms Wilson said.
‘It has given a lot of kids something to do when they haven’t had that before.’
Tweed council GM Troy Green said the upgrade had already encouraged greater use of the park, particularly by young people and their families, while improving safety at the site.
Mr Green said a youth forum held in October 2012 was attended by 40 high school students from across Tweed Shire.
‘A project team of 10 participants mapped their vision of an upgraded Knox Park, which included a skate plaza concept and adventure park,’ he added.
Regional development minister Fiona Nash, who attended the launch, said the Australian Government invested $500,000 to this project through the Community Development Grants Program.
‘The program focuses on local community and sporting infrastructure to support stable, secure and viable local and regional economies across Australia,’ Senator Nash said.
‘Active kids are happy kids, and local facilities like these will add another dimension to Knox Park,’ she added.
The Knox Park Youth Precinct project was jointly funded by Tweed Shire Council which contributed $829,329, the Australian Government which provided $500,000 plus $250,000 in donations from the Lions Club Murwillumbah.
