By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
SECURITY around Noble Park’s skate park has been “ramped up” to deter adults and children from test-driving it prior to construction’s end.
Greater Dandenong councillor Peter Brown said trespassing skaters had been spotted several times in recent weeks despite the skate park being effectively a building site.
On 21 June, security guards called in police to help them move-on a group but “people have been skating there since the concrete was set”.
“You can’t blame the kids. You know what they are like – it’s like Christmas time.“
Cr Brown had himself been chastised by a council officer for recently entering the site unauthorised for a Journal photographic shoot to highlight his safety concerns.
He said after an independent audit, there would be minor works such as moving a sharp-edged fence further back from the skate park elements, and installing full perimeter fencing.
Engineering services director Julie Reid told a council meeting on Monday that the trespassing had been a “concern” for several weeks.
She said the council had “ramped up” security to ensure skaters couldn’t access the site.
“People are keen to get in there and give it a go.”
The $1-million skate park’s performance bowl,snake run and street course designed by Noble Park skate legend Jon McGrath has been kennly anticipated.
Commenters, expecting the park’s opening this month, had recently vented on the Journal’s website.
One comment-writer decried the “nanny state rubbish”, another wrote: “Bugger the security … the park is completed I’m going skateboarding before your audit thank you.”
A skater’s online forum topic labelled ’Noble Park Safety Concerns’ features a number of posts including photos of skaters cutting moves on the performance bowl, as well as some critical memes of Cr Brown.
