Skateboarders in Petersfield met the town councilÕs grounds committee last week to discuss future improvements to the skate park in Love Lane.

The park has been dogged by vandalism and anti-social behaviour since it was opened in 1999, but the skateboarders claimed they were as much the victims of these problems as anyone else.

The boarders said broken glass on the site caused them more injuries when they fell off, and led to flat tyres for BMX bikers.

They even suggested keeping a broom on site so they could clear the glass themselves.

The boarders also said that the park was abused by other groups as well.

ÒYoung couples with kids use the park. The kids run about on the ramps and if you run into them their parents tell you off,Ó said one young user.

Boarder Kit Coates suggested installing a play area for young children to keep the groups separate.

One of the boardersÕ main concerns was the resurfacing of ramps at the park.

Boarder Thomas Eves said: ÒThe metal ramps are slippery and it would be great if they were resurfaced.Ó

The town council used metal to surface some ramps because it was the most durable option, but the boarders said that it was not ideal for skateboarding.

Thomas said that metal ramp surfaces were more dangerous than wood for skateboarding.

He said: ÒYou have to carve to get air and on metal you can just slide out.Ó

The grounds committee is recommending that £3,000 be set aside for improvements to the park in next yearÕs budget.

The grounds committee is also looking into accepting some responsibility for the Petersfield Town Football Club fence that faces the skate park.

The fence has been vandalised on a regular basis since the park was built, and councillors felt that it was unfair to let the football club pick up all the costs.

There had been calls for the skate park to be resited away from the fence and closer to Moggs Mead.

Petersfield Police had supported this proposal, stating that it would allow for closer supervision of the park by officers and it would also lead to improved lighting, from existing street lights, that would deter anti-social behaviour after dark.

But the skateboarders were opposed to this and said that any money that was available should be used to improve existing facilities.

The grounds committee said it had no plans to resite the park.

The skate-boarders will now be informed of future developments by e-mail.

Committee chairman Ken Hick praised the skateboarders, saying: ÒThey understood our problems and made it very easy for us to understand their problems.Ó