I see a campaign is building to have the skate park removed from Jubilee Park, Wigan Rd. I do hope this DOESN'T come to pass. I have every sympathy with those who live near the Park and have endured months of anti-social behaviour in and around that area. Having been a victim in the past, I know only too well that feeling of being unable to relax in my own home or to go out without fear of being verbally abused or worse. But, please, let's not tar all young people with the same brush. The skate park came about as a result of the hard work and cogent arguments made by a group of Ashton teenagers approximately 10 years ago. It is well used and popular -more so, I dare say, than would have been the case had the alternative proposal of a tennis club at the site been given the go-ahead. For every responsible user of the facility there may well be others who ABuse it or who simply gather there to make trouble. But what would be the consequence of removing the skate park? Would we not then have even more young people congregating at other "trouble spots" in the town -eg outside Aldi-, with no other source of entertainment than kicking a ball against the wall or baiting innocent passers by? I couldn't help thinking when, recently, I was researching the popular entertainment on offer in Ashton years ago - cinemas, coffee bars, the snooker hall etc- just how little there is here for young people nowadays. As angry as I feel when I see the vandalised bus shelters and park benches, or read of innocent people being abused or pelted with eggs, it saddens and frustrates me that all we are prepared to offer by way of an alternative to these activities is endless hours on a windswept supermarket car park.

Town: Ashton

I believe the plan is to 'relocate' rather than 'remove'. It would apparently be better off at the playing fields behind Queens Rd clinic. Less ways to enter/exit means less trouble, so they say.

I don't think many would object to such a relocation, Dan, but for the time being all the emphasis seems to be on getting rid of the current facility regardless of the consequences for anyone else. I cannot see the same energy being directed to finding an alternative site. As I said in my initial post about this, I know from bitter personal experience what it's like to be the victim of a prolonged campaign of anti-social behaviour. I am by no means unsympathetic towards those living near the park. However I can't help thinking that simply removing the ramps will heighten tensions and aggravate similar problems at other sites in the town.

Town: Ashton

If its that bad round the skate park put some lights up and some cameras with a tannoy system attached. They use this system in city centres and it works. Why move the problem elsewhere?If they know they are being watched then they will stop their anti social behaviour.

Town: ashton

Nice that people unaffected by the park can hold such a righteous opinion - come smell the cannabis and listen to the constant droning of the skateboarders at stupid o'clock at night?
Oh don't forget the poorly supervised activities when the youngsters are left to themselves when it's time for the youth workers to go,home!
Move them out of sight and hear shot so they can carry on their activities unhindered by grumpy old people like us...

Town: Ashton in makerfield