A NEW £175,000 skate park and a £50,000 outdoor gym-style play area are being proposed for Battery Park, Greenock.

The projects are being put forward as part of Inverclyde Council’s continuing investment in play parks. Councillors are being urged to approve the plans when they meet next week.

Inverclyde Skateboarders’ Group have been consulted about the skatepark which would be in addition to the facility already at Battery Park which in turn would be kept mainly for BMX biker riders.

A report by officials states: “The [existing] skate park has been a very popular addition to Battery Park since it was constructed ten years ago. Despite being popularly referred to as a skate park, the facility is actually dual function in that it is also designed to be used by BMX bike riders.

“Wear and tear is evident on the skate park equipment which has a detrimental effect on the enjoyment of users, especially skateboarders. The design is also somewhat limited in comparison to more modern skate parks recently installed by other providers.

“It is proposed to construct a new skate park at a different location within the park, in the vicinity of the now defunct helipad, and to retain the existing site for use, in the main, by BMX riders.”

Meanwhile, it is also proposed that a new range of equipment is installed on a site adjacent to one of the existing play areas, aimed at a wide range of age groups, including adults.

The report states: “The type of equipment proposed is mainly linked to fitness and general wellbeing but also has a high play value. Similar installations in other local authority parks are often referred to as outdoor gyms and they have proved to be very popular.”

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