Over the weekend, Oakham Mayor, Cllr Sally-Anne Wadsworth has said that she would have backed the Oakham Skatepark Project if it were proposed for Royce Recreation Ground.

Headed by Jon Dixon, the Oakham Skatepark Project has been ongoing for over 2 years. The aim of Mr Dixon and the team is to build a skatepark for Oakham's children and enthusiastic skaters.

Mr Dixon, alongside a group of supporters and Oakham Town Councillors, formed a working group late in 2021, in which multiple options for the location of the skatepark were considered. Centenary Fields and Royce Recreation Ground were both put forward.

The group consulted Skate GB as well as local crime statistics and, after considering multiple locations, decided that Centenary Fields was the favourable location to place the skatepark.

However, the community-led venture was rejected by Oakham Town Council on 7 December 2022, with some Councillors, including Cllr Wadsworth, who were on the working group voting against the proposal. Read more about this here.

Since then, Mr Dixon has written to Oakham Town Council to see how the project can progress, following the comment from Oakham Town Council: "The Council would like to state that they are certainly not against the idea in principle of a Skate park for Oakham and will be investigating other avenues and locations that could potentially be developed in consultation with the town and local residents."

It appears that Mr Dixon is still waiting a response to his letters.

However, this weekend, Cllr Sally-Anne Wadsworth posted on the Oakham Skatepark Project Facebook page saying that the Royce location would have "got my backing".

Cllr Wadsworth said: "Just sitting in Royces play field and wondering why this area was not considered for the skatepark. You would have got my backing to place it here."

This has come as a surprise to some following the progress of the project, who have responded to Cllr Wadsworth, saying that: "You were part of the working group which dismissed this area...."

Another commented: "The working group reccomended to full council that centenary field was/is the only option and FULL council voted on the decision which YOU CHAIRED as chairman and mayor. And yet now you put on a public platform this comment and thread....it makes OTC and you as chairman, look ridiculous at best I'm sorry to say!"

However, some who opposed the proposal maintain their stance that the build would be inappropriate. One resident added: "The amount of drug deals going on at that park I wouldn't want a skate park going there….. although I am sure the dealers who linger in that corner - and who you can see clearly handing over baggies would appreciate all the potential customers."

Sally-Anne Wadsworth was contacted for comment by Oakham Nub News. She said: "My issue with the Centenary Field was always and will always be the site not the construction. 

 "I am all in favour of a skate park but it has to be in the right place. Yesterday I sat on Royces playing field on Princess Ave and still can not understand why this was not part of the options. Yes it has a lot on the field, but the way I see it is it's a playing field so why should it not have more added. Some of the children who would like a skatepark also use this park to hang out after school so why not give them something to do.

"I could be wrong, but I don't remember the survey that was delivered to all the houses around Centenary Field being delivered around Royces field or the houses in that area. I'm sure I will be corrected if I am wrong. There was an online survey which I believe people didn't like the way the questions were phased.

"Before the vote, I was made unwelcome at the meetings as I wanted to talk about other options but it was pretty clear it was centenary field or nowhere. The public meeting was held on a Saturday when I was working. I called in after work to see how things had gone but again I felt unwelcome by 2 of the Councillors running the event. This is when I decided not to be involved in the working group.   

"There is a green space near where I live that I would not have a problem with it being siting but the group would need to speak with RCC about using it."

What do you think?

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