COUNCILLORS say they are “thrilled” that spades are finally in the ground at the site of the new skatepark in Cinderford.

The £250,000 project led by Cinderford Town Council has been dogged by delays over the years but works are now officially underway, and are set to ‘ramp up’ as we head into the winter.

Local firm MF Freeman are on site carrying out drainage works and building the car park and footpaths, and skatepark construction firm Maverick Industries are laying the ground works for the main build under the guidance of project managers Arcus.

The skatepark is expected to be completed in the new year.

A ‘ground breaking’ ceremony to mark the start of construction was held at the Miners Welfare Playing Fields off Barleycorn Square last Thursday (September 28), attended by the project team and Cinderford town councillors (pictured).

The site itself is already starting to look the part, with the first bowled end and quarter pipes taking shape.

Councillors say the skatepark will be a fantastic facility for the young people of Cinderford.

Local parent Alison Pflug said: “I live literally just up the road and I’ve got two children, one is 12 and one is nine, and obviously I don’t like to let them out very often.

“They do come down to the play park, both of them can skate, but only a little bit so they are taking skate lessons at the moment. 

“So as soon as the skate park is built, I’ll feel a bit more comfortable that they can come down with their friends - I’m just up the road if they need me - so I think they’re going to get a lot out of it. For my children, it will be perfect!”

It has been a long road to get the new skatepark built, with councillors saying it has taken “years” longer than they’d hoped to get started.

Part of the deal to build the new hospital on playing fields on Steam Mills Road was that a new skatepark would be built prior to the loss of the old one.

But residents who helped out with the designs said they felt “cheated” after the old skatepark was fenced off so the hospital build could begin last March.

The town council said the Covid-19 pandemic and a serious personal accident were the reasons why the project was delayed.

Planning permission for the new skatepark was granted in the same week as the hospital build started, and the town council said at the time they expected it to open last summer.

But various issues surrounding the new site have delayed the project even further since then, including drainage in the lower part of the field.

All involved say they are now “pleased” that construction on the new facility is finally underway.

Councillor Tim Holder commented: “After so many long delays, it’s more than useful that we’ve got as far as this, because there been a lot of pitfalls on the way unfortunately, with planning and drainageetc, which have made it doubly difficult.

“But at last, there’s some progress to show for such a long wait.”