THE search for a home for a skatepark in Bordon is continuing after long deliberations by Whitehill Town Council on Monday brought the saga no closer to a conclusion.
Basil Smith suggested the town council should enquire about land next to the Forest Community Centre, which is owned by East Hampshire District Council and which he considered ÒidealÓ.
He said the site would be close enough to shops and the community centre for its users to be safe, but far enough away from houses to cause too much of a nuisance.
ÒWe have been going on for some time about this skate park. It is time that we take the plunge and get cracking,Ó he commented.
Chris Wain, who seconded the proposal, said that it was important that the newly-formed user group be involved in the consultation if the land was available to the council.
Mr SmithÕs proposal received support from several of his fellow councillors.
Geraldine Wreford-Meeson said: ÒIt seems a very logical place for it.Ó
Mayor Neil Ockenden said: ÒI think that it is a superb site and easy to police.Ó
However not all town councillors were happy. Don Mayes pointed out that a preference had previously been expressed for the site to be used to assist in the regeneration of BordonÕs town centre and therefore it might be needed in the future for retail or commercial use.
He saidthat Òall other areas would have to be exhaustedÓ before he could support the use of the land for a skatepark.
Zoya Faddy agreed with this point of view and said that she had Ògrave reservationsÓ about the suitability of the site.
Andrea Moxon was worried that if the skatepark was built next to the community centre the centreÕs users would be intimidated by the teenagers using it.
Don Mayes said that East Hampshire District Council should also be asked whether there are any other suitable sites in the parish which could be considered.
It was agreed that town council staff should be given the power to check on the availability of land for a possible skatepark site without needing the councilÕs approval for each individual site suggested.
The search for a suitable site has been conducted throughout the year.
The councilÕs first choice was for it to be built on its own land at Jubilee Park, but those plans were shelved after neighbouring residents objected.
A report was then put together by a specially selected group of councillors, suggesting sites in Bordon which were available.
In July councillors agreed to look in more detail at the possibility of siting the skatepark on land next to the Meadow School. It was decided not to pursue various other sites including the land adjacent to the Forest Community Centre and the recreation ground.
But in September the council was hit with another setback when it found that that the land it was interested in may be needed for a future expansion of the Meadow.
Councillors then agreed, after discussions with the Ministry of Defence, that land next Barbados House in Station Road was a new possibility.
On Monday town clerk Linda Tiley said that she was still waiting to hear back from the MoD about the siteÕs availability.