Proposals to allocate a further £350,000 for a skatepark planned at the former putting green at Ethelbert Terrace in Cliftonville will be discussed by Thanet council Cabinet members next week.
The project, which is part of the £22.2m Margate Town Deal, has a current funding allocation of £984,000 including £59,000 match funding from the council and there is also £100,000 from artist Tracey Emin. The report before Cabinet proposes to add a further £350,000, moved from a Town Deal highways and signage scheme.
The aim is for the skatepark site to be free to use for skaters of all levels as well as regenerating the former putting green area. There are also plans for new public toilets and a refreshment kiosk.
In a change to previous plans the skatepark, kiosk and toilets, will remain under the Thanet council for management, maintenance and repair instead of these responsibilities being shouldered by Margate Skateboard Club CIC.
Instead the CIC, headed up by Skate Pharm’s Nic Powley and Dan Cates, is expected to have an “ appropriate agreement to enable them to use the skatepark to build community cohesion, engagement, participation and link local communities to health activities.”
The kiosk will be let through a commercial agreement, with the income from the concession being ring fenced to a fund management, maintenance and repair of the skatepark site and any ongoing costs.
The location and size of the kiosk are also likely to be altered. A report to councillors says: “The intended location for a small kiosk in the current scheme is in the north-east corner of the skatepark site.
“However, having reviewed the wider site, taking into consideration the footfall to that location, and to both the skatepark and (Jubilee) play park, it is considered that as a destination a larger kiosk may be more suitable.
“An alternative location has been identified that would service the Jubilee play park and users of the new skatepark, which would then enable retention of the whole site earmarked for the skate park to be for skateboarding facilities.”
The predicted increase in people at using Newgate Promenade and the Jubilee Play Park means the council is also proposing investment in improved railings along the cliff edge. The anticipated costs for replacing the railings are estimated to be between £150,000 and £170,000.
If the changes are agreed it will bring total Margate Town Deal funding for the skatepark and investment in the surrounding area to £1.33m.
The skatepark journey
The journey to create a ‘skatepark facility of regional significance’ has been a long one.
In September 2019 the government invited 101 places in England, including Margate, to develop proposals for a Town Deal. In 2020 an outline plan was submitted with the skatepark being one of the schemes proposed.
In March 2021 the Town Deal funding for Margate was granted by government and the following year Thanet council agreed to move forward with the lease and plans for the site.
The same year Nic and Dan took part in a pop up event at Turner Contemporary to share early designs for the site. In March this year council agreed to top up the skate park fund, originally £750,000, by an additional £175,000 which was reallocated after £500,000 was withdrawn from the Oval Bandstand and Lawns project.
In July Cabinet gave approval to carry out procurement for the Design and Build Contractor. The council team will work with Margate Skatepark CIC to finalise the main contractor details for the project.
Cllr Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property, said: “The Margate Skatepark is a very popular project and has the potential to be a space that the entire community can use and be proud of.
“At a time when so much of the provision, particularly for our local young people, is under threat this will be a welcome addition to the recreational facilities in the district.
“Decisions about how we ensure its long-term future are critical and I value the opportunity to review plans and establish a sustainable way forward.”
Nic said: “I’m still totally involved so nothing has really changed and as long as we get a decent park, I’ll be happy. (Once) they award the build contract I can liaise directly with the builders on the design.”
The model for the skatepark management could be rolled out to other skateparks across the district.
The report to councillors is available to read on the council’s website.
Another big idea from TDC while people sleep on Thanet streets. A disgusting waste of money
100% with you on this Sue 👍🏻
hi sue, how many local homeless folk have you put up over the years out of interest?
Out of interest what percentage of your income do you donate to homeless charities? And how much time to you spend working as a volunteer at a shelter?
Glad I don’t live near it.
This funding is part of the Margate Town Deal and will provide all the community with a state of the art sports facility and crucially provide a much needed positive space for young people. The site where the skate park will be built has been a derelict eye sore for many years and along with other nearby projects happening this is more great news for Cliftonville.
Alan, while I appreciate the aim for a “state-of-the-art sports facility,” I have serious concerns. Will the kiosk succeed when businesses like Sweet Caroline’s, Margate Leisure Centre and Rendezvous have failed? With three more kiosks planned along the stretch, isn’t this a high-risk venture?
Additionally, there’s clearly going to be a shortfall from the so-called slush fund from rentals for upkeep. Before the project even begins, it seems like this will become a burden on future council taxpayers. It all feels rather unrealistic and unlikely to achieve the necessary outcomes. Will the skatepark also be secured at night to manage antisocial behaviour? As a councillor, what are your thoughts on these issues?
Hi Sandra, The planned site of the kiosk will hopefully attract footfall from families using the Jubilee playground as well as those using the Skate Park. With other projects in the area happening over the next couple of years I’m certain the number of visitors will noticeably increase.
The overall design will be crucial and I agree that good lighting and CCTV will be needed. The site has been derelict for so long it was always going to be difficult to come up with a plan that everyone is happy with, however there has been support for a skate park for a long time and a project which has community involvement that also benefits young people in the area is much needed.
Sweet Carolines, that never advertised and were hardly ever open?
Homelessness comes first Alan build an hmo or flats but no chuck it at skate park it be trashed and then you refuse to repair it.
How many homeless have you put up over the years, Reb? Where can we see this?
It’s a heck of a lot of dosh for a ‘sport’ thats going out of fashion, and worrying that all costs to be borne by the Council.
Where your source for this ‘fact’? More people skateboarding than ever before with the largest growth area being girls/women which is attributed to social media and the sports inclusion in the Olympics since 2020.
“It’s a heck of a lot of dosh for a ‘sport’ thats going out of fashion”
This is abject rubbish, Di. Skateboarding is rising faster than ever. You have the sum of human knowledge in the palm of your hand, Di. There’s no excuse for ignorance these days.
Why not charge people to use it ,like they do with the tennis courts etc. Why does everyone want it free of charge
Necause it’s just about the easiest way to make it look succesful, one must assume that the numbers have been crunched and it’s been deemed necessary to relieve the skate park of as much financial responsibility as possible to try and ensure it’s success.
There seems to ne nothing in the documents put to the council meeting that looks at the negative effects this may have on either the revolution skate park or the Olympic Cafe ( the proximity of which would surely make it the ideal alternative to a kiosk, remove any risk to the council other than building and maintaining a toilet block which would benefit all those using that section of the coastline) which will now be disadvantaged by subsidised competition.
Nor are there any projections in the documents in respect of likely use and visitor numbers when it is completed.
Of course if the skate park were to a pay to use facility that would entail additional expenditure and it may be that it’s considered it may make the whole thing financially unviable.
Would by any chance the council be avle to take back the utter catastrophe of the Newgate shelter and use that for the kiosk and toilets and improve that corner of cliftonville at the same time. Quite how the council at the time saw handing it over to a group fronted by a convicted fraudster was a good idea is difficult to understand. It’s hardly lived up to the hype that surrounded the project at the time.
As with all such things time will tell.
Skateboarders wouldn’t pay to use it. They’d use parks and pavements instead.
If you look at the precedent nationwide or wordwide nearly all outdoor skateparks are free to use spaces except a small number of private businesses. Most indoor parks however charge a fee. Most ares have a mix of both with co-exist without issue.
I can only apologise for not being perfect, I was probably juggling a million other things at the time. In fact if it was during lockdowns, which i think it was, my main priority was trying to stop my business going bankrupt while also trying to feed myself.
I would also like to point out that myself and TDC are two very separate entities.
Not sure that I understand how a skate park will “build community cohesion, engagement, participation and link local communities to health activities.” Also, what happens to the Town Deal highways and signage scheme if the money is taken from it?
Happy to explain, what would you like to understand more?
Am I the only one that thinks drugs and graffiti? The one in Herne Bay wreaks of weed and is covered in graffiti. No doubt this will sadly go the same way. At least they boarders have somewhere to play. I expect Revolution will close if this one is free 🤷🏻♂️
The one on the seafront at Swalecliffe isn’t much better. Anyway, isn’t there already an old skatepark in Hartsdown Park?
“Anyway, isn’t there already an old skatepark in Hartsdown Park?”
Nope. There’s a basketball court with banked sides, of which, can’t be skated properly because TDC have failed to maintain it. LEading to local skaters repairing one of the banks themselves.
It’d be a great idea if they turned the tennis courts in Spencer Square just down from where I live and my local The Artillery Arms into a skate park, that would shake up the dullards who live around here. Who needs tennis and that american dross Pickleball.
Once again, the absolute shock I see in reading the dull comments from the regular dullards who are opposed to anything that doesn’t directly cater to them.
Don’t you boring old boomers always fart on about how kids these days are always teletexting and being indoors? And that everything costs too much?
Bore off.
“Boomers”? What’s with the silly Americanism?
I’m not against it, no more than I’m against football grounds or nighrclubs – but I wouldn’t want to live near any of them. I also pointed iut that there’s already one that doesn’t seem to get much use in Hartsdown Park. So hardly a priority for a hard-pressed council to spend money on.
The one in Hartsdown was built in the 70’s and was a half assed attempt even then. It’s out of date and has no resemblance to a modern skatepark at all. its also old and rough.
Why not update that one then? Surely it would be cheaper.
it wouldn’t be any cheaper as you’d basically have to start again. In fact there’d probably be additional cost in removing the old park. The site is also currently designated ‘multi use’ hence the basket ball hoops, so you have the additional cost of providing a replacement to those too.
Blimey if we’re going nack that far , there were probably decks being ridden there made bymy late fathers joinery business, he used to do the shopfitting for what was then Alpine Sports, who imported lots of skateboarding gear in the late 70’s boom, dads firm made thousands of basic entry level boards for them.
“I’m not against it, no more than I’m against football grounds or nighrclubs – but I wouldn’t want to live near any of them.”
You live in wales, do you not?
What makes you think that? Besides, I’m pretty sure Wales has football grounds and nightclubs too
Jay – please grow up young man and try to be polite. Some of us have adverse views to you. Personally this project is a waste of money catering for a minority but my personal view.
have you actually got any idea of how many skateboarders, bmxers, scooter riders, rollerbladers, rollerbooters and other wheeled sports users there are in Thanet? I do. Its over 500.
I cycle, is that a “wheeled sport” too?
Yeah, if you’re using a stunt/trials/dirt/bmx bike and regularly use skateparks, sure.
I don’t think I’d pass as one of the “older kids” that this is aimed for – according to Cllr Alan Currie.
Of course the “ dullards” as you refer to them are at least politer and merely expressing opinion ,they’re not looking for million pound hand outs to progress their personal interests / businesses, ( except where that business, running a kiosk is8ntnof interest to them) some also feel it’s a bit much using grant money to disadvantage existing businesses and have trouble understanding why existing facilities can’t be improved/ upgraded. There is also the prospect of the council tax payer being on the hook for maintenance etc at which point it hardly seems unreasonable to ask for some contribution from the facilities users, tennis courts , swimming baths, leisure centre etc aren’t free for us to use, why is a skate park seemingly exempt from the basic economic realities in life, it has costs to bear at 5he very least it’ll need insurances and a sinking fund for eventual repair and maintenance, hardbto see a kiosk conession is going to cover that.
The people behind this previously crowed about their plans and directed people to their website, which in reality didn’t exist , apparently they were too busy to actually create it, hardly inspires a great deal of confidence.
Which people and which website are you referring to here?
“The people behind this previously crowed about their plans and directed people to their website, which in reality didn’t exist , apparently they were too busy to actually create it, hardly inspires a great deal of confidence.”
I don’t suspect you’ll even bother replying to this misinformation fuelled bs you’re spouting, but which people and what was the url, or have you conveniently forgotten?
See 4:59 comment below ( I didn’t reply to your comment correctly and it’s out of sequence)
The proposal going to Cabinet is that the skatepark site, including the kiosk and toilets remain under the management of Thanet District Council. It recommends that the kiosk be let out through a commercial agreement, with the income from the concession being ring fenced to a sinking fund for the skatepark for the management, maintenance and repair of the site and any ongoing costs.
You’re expecting skaters, many who are skint/on low wages/unemployed, to not nip to aldi or one stop on northdown before going there? lol
Can the same be done for the Isles Tennis Courts, Pools, Leisure Centres? Can you assure the council tax payer that the commercial income from the kiosk is going to cover all the costs of the skate park going forward?
The new toilet block will presumably be looked after by the same fund as all the other public toilets on the Isle?
As long as there is someone with suitable qualifications available when it’s open to put a stop to any misbehaviour, graffiti, violence, drug and alcohol misuse and vandalism then as long as it closes at a reasonable time in the evening so any noise does not disturb neighbours across the street I can see it as a good use of the old putting courses.
The artist image above seems suitable for the site, but planners should be warned by the Council that there is a legal restrictive covenant ‘in perpetuity’ on that land that does not allow any buildings/structures over a certain height, I believe it was 6 foot from ground base, among some other regs. This was noted in the lease with the previous keeper of the land by Margate Borough Council in the 1960’s, although there have been floodlight columns in place all through the late 60’s to the 90’s. Council legal team should be able to find the Covenant details easily enough. That shouldn’t stop them excavating downwards though.
There are electric cables under the ground and power to the North West corner of the site from when it was crazy Golf. It does sound a lot of money being pumped into this though when other initiatives have been either been allotted reduced amounts or bypassed altogether for Margate Town Deal funding. But, I would be happy to see at least something positive come from that funding. Nothing ever seemed to have got done in Margate/Cliftonville when funding for community projects were announced in the past. It has either been spent on projects that most of the public were excluded from or wasted on replacing the Pirate Ship playpark next to this site when it was falsely deemed unrepairable. The teens in Margate and Cliftonville need something to do when other initiatives come to an end or are cut to the bone through lack of funds they will need this even more.
“wasted on replacing the Pirate Ship playpark next to this site when it was falsely deemed unrepairable”
I worked foreshores at the time. It was buggered beyond belief and EXTREMELY unsafe.
That it ended up in that state i don’t think anyone comtests, why it hadn’t been maintained and repaired up to that point was a bone of contention at the time as were the assertions from the original supplier of the pirate ship that it could be easily repaired for sensible money.
But as is too often the case , things are done with grant money or out of special pots, then nothing is done to look after assets, the council instead waiting for another round of grants / funding to allow them to do something else, which in the case of the pirate ship meant it had to ne replaced and not repaired as a condition of the funding.
A sad indictment of the world we live in , where to gain political traction it’s better to waste money than get best value.
“why it hadn’t been maintained and repaired up to that point was a bone of contention at the time”
iirc Tory austerity decimating funding. This was the year Cameron got into office, remember?
Let’s just hope the usual ‘gang’ of kids don’t over take this and make it impossible for genuine kids to use it …like they have done for the play area there etc
The Skate Park will take the pressure off the children’s playground and means the older kids will have a space more suitable for them to hang out and take part in some of the activies planned as well as skateboarding, roller skating etc.
people “hanging out” at skateparks, is the reason I, a skateboarder of some 25 years, will not touch Broadstairs or Ramsgate. That, and the fact they were contracted to the lowest bidder who made an absolute dogs dinner of them (broadstairs has several extremely unsafe aspects to its obstacles, like badly set coping, jerky transitions, ramps being too small to be effective, not enough run up/run out…et al.
I hope this park isn’t plagued by the pitfalls Deal, Swalecliffe and thanet parks have been. Local chavs who come to drink, smoke loads of weed, cause trouble and get in the way and cause accidents.
“activities planned” forced fun is the antithesis of skateboarding, just so you know.
It may go against your cool dude laid back skater ethos, but most of us would see the “planned activities” reference as being events laid on by the operators of the park to introduce people interested in taking up skating a chance to do so and be given encouragement, guidance and tips to get the nest out of the event and give them the confidence to take up the activity.
No one would be “forcing” anyone to do anything, i’d be surprised if such planned activities weren’t a core part of the application for funding and something the council and the sponsors of the scheme will require as part of any agreement.
“Older kids”? Most of those I see on skateboards look at least 30.. or is there going to be an upper age limit?
Say what you really mean LJ. You wouldn’t possibly be acting xenophobically about the local eastern european and african population now, would you?
There seems to be some confusion here about what the Margate Town Deal funding is for and where it came from. It is actually a government-funded program to transform towns in the UK through a 10-year investment plan and Margate was one of the towns chosen thanks to a successful bid by Thanet Council. Cliftonville was an area particularly identified as in need of improvement which is why I and my fellow Cliftonville West Councillors fully support projects and funding going to our ward just as we did when the Viking Ship playground was falling apart due to rotting timbers and was replaced with the new all weather Jubilee playground.
The government awarded Margate £22.2 million. The funding is a capital fund meaning it can only be used to purchase buildings or develop public spaces. This is why focus has been on projects that will improve the lives of the local community. A refurbished cliff top lift, Walpole Bay pool pavilion & facilities & the Skate Park. I love the fact that all age groups are catered for here.
When government funding is available it is either snapped up very quickly by pro active council officers or the application does not meet the criteria required. Thankfully Margate was successful and the vast majority of local residents are fully behind these improvements to the area.
I doubt any of the negative nimrods will read this. I appreciate you posting factually correct info, Alan.
Thanks, the real positive here is that Cliftonville has actually received major government funding which is actually being spent in the area rather than in other parts of Thanet/Kent for the first time that I can remember since I moved here over 25 years ago!
Yet another Cllr. spouting off how wonderful TDC is. A council chamber full of clueless bottom feeders with a workforce of indolent, clock-watching jobsworths. And we wonder where all these rubbish ideas that waste £ millions. House the homeless, feed the poor and warm the cold pensioners.
TDC really is at the bottom of a huge bucket of refuse.
And get binmen to sweep up after they drop things. I never even see a broom or shovel on their trucks these days.
A “skatepark facility of regional significance” isn’t going to reduce unemployment or bring investment to an area with the highest induces in the South East. Its just an expensive concrete box that’s hoped to stop drug use, crime and anti social behaviour whilst the immature DFL’s skate on by.
This is from the same council that thought an “art shelter” would regenerate the area, so what do you expect?
the problem that had, was like all the other clifftop shelters in thanet, from minnis to pegwell, besides stone bay and louise bay (both were rebuilt with bare wood about ten years back), is that they’re FULL of lead based paint crumbling away and contaminating the surrounding areas. (which is why the majority have been behind heras fencing for a few years now).
For the Minnis and Birchington shelters, funds were raised by locals, and then specialist contractors took them away to refurbish them. Seems to work better than putting planters and soil around them like the idiots did in Cliftonville.
“For the Minnis and Birchington shelters, funds were raised by locals, and then specialist contractors took them away to refurbish them.”
So why, on several occasions I visited minnis around that, did I see a couple of OAPs sanding and stripping in situ? Why was there heras fencing around them, and sanded/flaked paint everywhere on the floor(that wasn’t cleaned up properly with flakes still there months later)?
Specialist contractors can’t be old?
Some things obviously didn’t need to be taken away.
“Specialist contractors can’t be old? ”
Oh look, a strawman.
Peter, they were two old lads, in their civvies, with no PPE, sanding back/wire brushing the paint.
Which is more than the lazy b’stards do in Margate.
Cllr. Alan Currie, I know this article is about the proposed Skate Park, but let us hope that 20 foot shippimg containers are not used on the site.
Cliftonville West Councillors recently gave overwhelming support for this on the Oval Bandstand & Lawns site. Two 20 foot shipping containers to add to the 10 foot one already there, plus the ghastly metal fencing that is all around the site.
I have recently read that the group GRASS CIC, yes, another CIC will be planting 420 saplings on this site in November.
I think we all know that saplings have a habit of growing, with some reaching very tall height.
All you councillors gave support to this.
It is truly unbelieveable!
Mr Green, I have never given my support or ever voted for 20 foot containers or permanent fencing at the Oval Bandstand site just to put the record straight.
Here you go
https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2022/02/16/plans-for-cliftonville-skatepark-look-set-to-move-forward/
Look at the comments by LC around 18th Feb and reply from Nic on 19th. Clearly states there had’nt been time to build a web page advertised elsewhere. But it was advertised on social media. Sort of led those willing to look into the project up a blind alley and as stated didn’t inspire conidence.
Quite where is the bs you refer to ?
That website still isn’t there. Nic obviously has a very busy life.
He is.
Any info I’d have to publish on a website is contained in this article, I haven’t built a website for the CIC purely because i don’t need one and it’s just another job on a long list. I’m sure there will be a website for the skatepark in due course. But as it clearly explains in the article the Council are still in the process of deciding who is a doing what and how the site is going to be run but this has been an ongoing process for the past few years. There’s not daily updates with a project like this but the info comes out as things progress.
You now know as much about the skatepark project as I do. And I’ve always been more than open about answering any questions anyone puts to me (and they do it n a daily basis).
And once again I’ll say if you have something specific you want to ask me for your ‘investigation’ I’m more than happy to answer, I’ve got no reason not to.
If you’re not satisfied with that I don’t know what else to say.
Ok, here’s a question: Will there be an upper age limit on entry? Even Cllr Alan Currie seems to think it’s aimed at “older kids”, yet at least one commentator on here says he’s been a skateboarder for 25 years – which I’m guessing would make him not that far from 40, and old enough to have teenage kids him/her self.
But surely one of the benefits of such a passtime/sport is its ability to bring together a wide age range and life experienced participants, bought together by a common interest but once together much more is shared. Which is a large part of the the community cohesion aspect of the project. Or have I misunderstood?
I’ve no idea… but if so, why the “older kids” comment?
Maybe Nic and/or Alan can clarify?
There’s no age limit on use, no idea how that conclusion got jumped to but the park will be open to anyone who wants to use it.
So, it’s for adults then.
I oppose it.
You answered the points raised in the article and subsequent comments as linked above. I still have the view that it was bad form at the time saying there was something that just didn’t exist as to me it doesn’t inspire confidence.
I only put the link up to show the person anon who posted on the 17th at 11:50 , who called out my comment as bs and that I couldn’t back it up with anything. Of course they’ve not come back since.
Too many schemes end up as nothing like they were advertised as and millions get wasted or areas decline, TDC don’t have a good record and it taints my view of such things. And the way things are progressing it rather looks as though the council tax payer will be left holding the baby if the facility can’t pay its way from a single kiosk franchise ( which when you consider the councils commercial property departments performance is hardly an unfair viewpoint). On which basis throwing nigh on 1.5 million into a project of largely public money and giving use for free seems a bit out of kilter in modern times.
The council has been offloading liabilities at a considerable pace but is now choosing to take another on, which suggests desperation to make something work.
But as i said before time will tell.
I would much rather some money be spent on a project like this which actually has a chance of getting delivered.
Compare this to the enormous white elephant of Margate Digital College which has been given over £6m with the sum total of zero progress being made on the building in the last three years. That cash should be reallocated to other projects now before it’s too late.
My personal ( many will call it cynical) view of Margate Digital, something many want but next to no one wishes to put any of their own money into. Those that have overseen the various funding pots used to so far on the old M&S building can hardly ne enthused as to what’s been achieved and no doubt the funding that’s been offered has bigger strings attached, it’d surprise no one that estimates have ballooned , more work is required than originally envisaged, no one wants to guarantee the projections of income and expenditure going forward, so it’ll sit on a back burner slowly decaying with all involved waiting for a new pot of money they can apply for under this government, so again it won’t be surprise if there’s not an announcement in around 3 years as the taps are opened in the run up to the next GE and the inevitable politically motivated spending that all governments embark on.
If it were upto me, turn the place into a GP hub, incentivise boots to move into it, nhs minor treatment centre, dentist.
Incentivise other businesses from upper highstreet to move down to the lower, completely regenerate the upper high street for housing , if The Centre has a real future keep it, if not demolish and turn it into a park.
Of course that’s just as Pie In the Sky as Margate Digital, but would likely improve margate way more than Margate Digital and The Margate School ever will.