Wool Skatepark

Funds raised

The money raised through crowdfunding will contribute to the £120k required to build the new Wool Skatepark. 

So far we have raised a combined total of £56,500 from Sport England, local fundraising events and Council funds. 

If we could raise £3k+ this would take us to the halfway point of our target. We are preparing to apply for further funding in early 2019 to see this project through to completion.

This is the current metal-framed skatepark on the Wool playing field that we so desperately want to update.

Who are we?

The Wool Skaters Group is a community-led, fundraising volunteer group, formed by local skaters and parents. 

Social need

In Wool, there are two primary schools and a pre-school within 1/2 mile radius of the old skatepark. Many of these children use the facilities every day. There is also a secondary school in Wareham, which most teenagers attend from Wool also use the area to ride and socialise. 

The existing skate park is currently situated within the grounds of the village playing field directly in front of the Woolbridge Surgery. This facility was installed in 2007 as part of the Wool Parish Council initiative. Since its creation, it has proved extremely popular, and in fact, far too small for the existing demand. This often results in overcrowding and can be dangerous when riding, especially as there is only really space for one rider to safely use the park at any one time. The metal construction also creates a lot of noise for the residents, an issue that is completely solved with a concrete skatepark. In addition to this, the ground in which the park resides is constructed of rough, cracked tarmac, which has degraded badly making it hard to skate properly. 

The congestion and overcrowding at the existing facility illustrate clearly that it is far too small and limited for the demand that already exists. There has been a consistent demand for a new concrete skatepark for the past few years to alleviate this problem. Evidence gathered by The Wool Skate Group highlights that many participants, parents, and spectators find the existing facility is either inadequate or overcrowded. (See letters on our Facebook page)

Our aims

The aims of the project are to: 

• Build a high-quality skatepark for Wool

• Improve existing facilities and provide completely new types of facilities

• Secure sustainable facilities for skate and bike sports

• Actively involve end users in the design, development, promotion 

• Actively involve end users and management of the facility

• Attract more individuals to skate and bike sports

• Attract young people from deprived communities with poor access to facilities

• Enable the development of improved levels of performance and skills

• Help increase usage of Wool Skatepark

• Improve health and wellbeing

• Crime reduction and improve community safety

• Contribute to the development of the Purbecks for extreme sports

• Use the site for events and competitions

• Deliver economic benefits to the village and surrounding areas

• Attract more tourists to the facility and the Purbecks

• Encourage families and young people to engage more extensively with their community

Local support

The Wool Skatepark project has the full support and backing of the Wool Parish Council, Purbeck District Council, Wareham and Dorchester Rotary Club, St Mary & St Josephs Primary School, Wool C of E Primary School, Purbeck Secondary School, Kids of Wool Pre-school, Wool Youth Club, Wareham Youth Club and many local businesses in the area. Along with residents, riders and parents of the skatepark users.

We presented the project to both local primary schools.

The local youth club believes it to be much needed and will greatly enrich the lives of the residents of Wool as there is little for them to do. 

Widespread support for The Wool Skaters Group and the skatepark project generally within the village also illustrates the well-accepted assessment that the existing facility is too small and out of date for the existing demand.

It means so much the children and young people of Wool to see an extensive improvement to the current skatepark facilities. Evidence of this can be seen via our Facebook page, from the hundreds of letters of support by children, teachers, business owners, parish councillors, parents, MPs, and landowners.

Testimonials

Clearly, the case for a new facility is overwhelming but don't just take our word for it.

New design

The skatepark will contain a variety of features for skateboarders, streetboarders, inline skaters, scooter and bmx riders of all abilities, from beginner to professional levels of riding. The skatepark is to be a plaza-style street course with a launch box and mini ramp that will cater for all levels of skill.

The project forms part of a wider open space improvement scheme for Wool Parish Council that also includes a children's play park, enclosed football/basketball court, spectator shelters, wildlife areas, fitness trails, picnic areas and café redevelopments.

The metal construction also creates a lot of noise for the residents, an issue that is completely solved with a concrete skatepark. In addition to this, the ground in which the park resides is constructed of rough, cracked tarmac which has degraded badly making it hard to skate safely. When riders fall on this kind of abrasive surface it's far easier to injure yourself. Concrete surfaces are safer to slide on if you were to fall. Everyone fails once in a while no matter how good you are so this is a very important factor.

We took care to involve the local user group and residents to discuss ideas to help design the new skatepark. In addition to this, we hope to start a skate ambassador programme that will empower and teach our young people, whilst we ensure the safety of the very young children who also use the park.  

The design concept (above) was from the original tender budget of £180k+VAT. The new skatepark is intended to look very similar (design to be confirmed), however, as the budget has been scaled down to 120k+VAT it will inevitably be on a smaller scale. No less awesome of course and will be a massive improvement of what is currently there. 

The funding trail

Here is a list of the funds we have raised so far for the skatepark project. 

It's taken countless hours of work, spread over many evenings and weekends to get us to this point. It's a never-ending battle to get applications submitted and it's always a tough blow when we miss out to funding, especially after spending months fine-tuning them to ensure they meet the requirements of the funder. We find that no one funder is the same.  

Having said this we feel truly blessed to have got where we have despite the economic unrest and funding budgets cut by up to 70%. We just need to push that little bit more to see this project funded. Thats why we need your help!

Sport England

So happy to be awarded £50k in November 2017. 

Wool Parish Council Donation

The council have kindly donated £5,500 from an extremely tight annual budget.

Fundraising events

Local events such as The Wool Skate Jam, Ladies Evening, Local Pub - Beer Barrel Donation, Pub Quiz Nights & Rotary Christmas Raffle has raised a total of £1000.

Press and Radio

Steve Harris from BBC Radio Solent interviews Patrick Murray from Wool Skaters after being awarded the Sport England funding. 

Steve Harris from BBC Radio Solent interviews Patrick Murray from Wool Skaters after missing out on two large pots of funding from Suez and Viridor.

Great to be a featured news item on SAM FM.