Opening of Hout Bay skate park edges closer

After a gruelling four years of planning, the Eyethu Skate Park team will break ground at the new skate park next week. The skate park located in Hout Bay will benefit around 9 000 youngsters from Imizamo Yethu. Photo: Supplied

After a gruelling four years of planning, the Eyethu Skate Park team will break ground at the new skate park next week. The skate park located in Hout Bay will benefit around 9 000 youngsters from Imizamo Yethu. Photo: Supplied

Published Nov 13, 2018

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Cape Town – Excited skaters from the Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg areas in Hout Bay can look forward to the Eyethu Skate Park breaking ground next week.

Recently, the City gave the green light for the Hout Bay skate park. This was after four gruelling years and tireless fund-raising.

Eyethu Skate Park, a Rotary Hout Bay Initiative supported by Eyethu Volunteers, organisers and the team said they still needed donations to the tune of R300 000 to complete the skate bowl. Once construction is complete, this skate park will benefit around 9 000 youngsters.

The project aims to “empower, connect and integrate the children of Hout Bay,” said volunteer marketing and project co-ordinator Vicki Scheffel.

“The community is severely lacking in safe community recreational spaces. We believe it is important that our youth have such spaces - they can be a creative outlet or a way for kids to find their place.”

Just been told this is being distributed. It is FALSE! pic.twitter.com/odkU50FhrP

— Debbie Schafer (@DebbieSchafer) November 12, 2018

The project started with only six children from the Hout Bay area last November and has now grown to 80 children between the ages of eight and 12, said Scheffel.

“Although we do still need a lot of donations, we will go ahead with the construction and as donations come in we will be able to complete the bowl, which is the one attraction everyone is looking forward to.

“For months we used to host skate sessions or skate clinics outside the Hout Bay library, but it was illegal to do so.”

Keith Bull, Rotary Hout Bay Club president, said Rotary Hout Bay were looking for a new project to support and heeded the community call for a safe space for skaters.

“The entire team has been working so hard over the last four years and this year has been particularly tough. So when we heard the news that we could start the build, we were thrilled.

“We're also lucky to have Amandla Construction on board to provide all of the ground clearing, levelling, initial ground testing and core construction for free. This is invaluable and proves how committed the entire community is to this project.”

Anyone wishing to donate can visit eyethuskatepark.org.za/

Cape Times

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