BRIDGING the gap between Whitehill Town Council and local youngsters is the best way forward for the townÕs long-awaited skate park project, says town councillor Ian Dowdle.

At a meeting of the planning and amenities committee on Monday, it was decided that the recently formed Skate Park UsersÕ Group will meet councillors to talk about plans for the scheme.

Mr Dowdle says this is the Òmost efficientÓ way to move the project along and keep the users involved.

The meeting follows months of discussion and set-backs in trying to find a suitable site for the park

Last month, the town council was told that Hampshire County Council-owned land next to the Meadow School, on the corner of Mill Chase Road and Hollywater Road, would be unavailable.

The council was forced to rethink when the possibility of using land at Jubilee Park was opposed by 14 letters of objection from local residents.

But, after discussions with the Ministry of Defence, plans for the skate park were given fresh hope when land next to Barbados House in Station Road became available.

After Monday nightÕs meeting, Ian Dowdle said: ÒThe idea for a skate park was on the town councilÕs agenda even before I joined this year.

ÒSince then the council has voted in favour of having a skate park but has found a lot of problems in finding a suitable site. We thought we had cracked it when we found the site at the Meadows.

ÒWhat I have tried to do is find out what the youth want. I have tried to bridge the gap between the youth and the council.Ó

The usersÕ group has now been formed and includes one parent and a number of local youngsters. Mr Dowdle, along with planning and amenities committee chairman Basil Smith and Chris Wain, will meet them in the near future.

Mr Dowdle said: ÒA meeting with the usersÕ group will be a much more efficient way of going about things. The town council is very keen to bring the young people and users on board.Ó

Mr Dowdle told The Herald that the most important topic on any council meetings with the youngsters will be to decide on the site.

He said that once this was decided, the focus could move to other aspects of the scheme including design, maintenance and health and safety measures.

ÒThe site is the main issue at the moment. There is no point looking at the detail of the scheme until this is decided because of the restrictions that we may face,Ó he said.

ÒGetting the youth involved in this side of things is the best way forward and hopefully it will give them a sense of ownership once the park is built.Ó