Norton Town Council has turned down a chance to get the iconic half pipe feature at the town’s skatepark refurbished by ONE vote.
They have turned their backs on cash offered by Habito, a mortage company, which is sponsoring the GB skateboard team at the Olympics.
They wanted to pay for the work to see the structure brought back to life.
Now locals have started a petition to try and get the council to take the vote again and back the deal
Ryan Swain, who has led the campaign, said:
“This Half Pipe is a vital asset to not only Malton and Norton and the local community but the whole of the north of England too.
“It’s the only that is free to use and the only one left standing in the North.
“It could be a huge tourist attraction with riders travelling internationally to use it. It’s already got wide media coverage and celebrity names supporting the campaign and we we now we have all of the money and a sponsorship deal to complete the project”
He said that the potential sponsors, Habito, who are backing the GB Olympics Skateboard team were not happy with their offer being turned down
Town and district councillor Dinah Keal said “Certain councillors just chose to throw that back in the face of this community when so many people supported this project, not just skaters, not just young people, there’s huge support in this community, because people recognise that you need to provide facilities like this for the young.
“And these are the councillors that, if skaters are skating in the marketplace, or they’re skating in other places where they shouldn’t, will complain but they don’t want to provide this fantastic facility.
“They cannot recognise the value that this facility has for our young people. You know, whenever a sport goes to the Olympics, a new sport, there’s a resurgence in that sport in the community.
“I just cannot believe what I’ve heard this evening.”
‘A tragic decision’
Amotherby councillor Steve Mason said on his Facebook feed: “I find it incredibly hard to understand the motivation of some people who live in Ryedale. I witnessed a generation of clearly out of touch people make a tragic decision for the young of this town.
“The young people of Malton and Norton deserve better and to have their opinion listened to.
“The councillors who voted to throw away this community asset, which will be lost if we are not careful, should be ashamed.”
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The main objection to the half pipe is that it is too big and it’s dangerous.
Some of the councillors think that that sort of facilities should only be provided in a paid for setting and there was one suggestion that it should be taken to to Flamingo Land. But that was rejected by campaigners because people would have to pay to get into the resort to use it.
The argument that you can use the half pipe if you’re proficient skater, and let others learn on the smaller ramps didn’t convince councillors against.