AN indignant skateboarder has hit back about complaints from a Haslemere resident over young people's behaviour at the town's skate park.
Edd Brooks (15), of Hammer Vale, has condemned comments made by a a Farnham Lane resident who took skateboarders to task in a story in last week's Herald.
Mother-of-two Carol Kirby criticised the behaviour and attitude of the young people who use the skate park at The Herons leisure centre.
But Edd, a pupil at Bohunt school, claims that the attitude problem does not lie with the skateboarders.
He says in a letter to The Herald this week that he is against "rudeness to residents".
But he continued: "The prejudiced and intolerant attitude of certain Haslemere residents is just one of the problems that I think is attempting to crush any spark of excitement provided by the council for the youth," he said.
He went on to say that such "bigoted and oppressive views leave young people feeling intimidated".
"This is what creates the 'them-and-us' situation with residents being unable to see teenagers having a good time socialising and interacting with each other," he added.
"The fact that skateboarders overflow on to the car park shows how popular the carnival-like atmosphere of The Herons skate park is."
At the skate park opening ceremony in August, Mayor of Waverley, Michael Goodridge, described the facility as "exciting, adventurous and worthwhile".
Since then, it has become a popular place for young people to meet and improve their skateboarding and BMX skills.
Edd says in his letter that the skateboard park "is one of the few good things to have come to the town as a result of the Tesco supermarket development.
"If anything, the skate park should be enlarged to accommodate everyone who wants to skate there, not reduced to deny Haslemere teens a free recreational activity."
And he takes issue with comments made last week that The Herons had been "deprived" of a tennis court to make room for the skateboard park.
Young people, said Edd, needed to be catered for along with the rest of the community.
Last week, Mrs Kirby told The Herald that hordes of youths descend upon The Herons every Friday night, and are in danger of causing a traffic accident in the car park. She also complained that, when challenged, some of the young people can be "abusive and truculent".
Edd said that young people "should not be forced into a subculture" where respect for the elder generation is lost.
"Let's discuss the situation democratically and the dangers of skating in the car park," implored Edd.
"Above all," he asked, "respect the necessity for a recreational outlet with a legitimate face."
He believed that confrontation "encourages rebellious behaviour," and he called on the critics "to work with the skaters and not against them".