Campaigners behind the creation of a popular skate park in Keith have revealed they are stepping away from the project in hopes of passing it onto the next generation.
Skating facilities at Cuthil Park were transformed by the Keith Rollerbladers, BMX and Skateboarders group (Kerb) after it fell into a state of disrepair.
For the last eight years, campaigners have secured an investment of about £150,000 into the project to help provide a community asset for the young people of Keith.
However, with their annual general meeting less than two weeks away, all committee members have revealed they are stepping down, potentially leaving the future of the popular park in jeopardy.
Speaking about the decision, secretary Nicola Paton-Cruickshank says the committee feels they have accomplished what they set out to do.
She said: “When we first started off, we thought were only going to have to replace one ramp but actually once we started, we realised the whole skate park needed done. We ended up developing the whole skate park so it has been completely refurbished.
The group issued an appeal that year calling for people to join the committee to ensure the park never falls into a state of disrepair again.
Paving the way for the next generation
Mrs Paton-Cruickshank admits the committee had planned to step down in 2020, however, in the wake of the Covid pandemic they felt it wasn’t the right time.
The group issued an appeal that year calling for people to join the committee to ensure the park never falls into a state of disrepair again.
She says the decision to leave hasn’t been easy but feels the time is right.
“We feel like we have done what we set out to do,” she added.
“Times have changed for us, we all have different family commitments, our kids are grown up now and haven’t used the skate park in some time.
“You never really want to step down as such but you just hope that somebody takes it over so it doesn’t have to close.”
The group first began fundraising for the venture in 2014, with aspirations of replacing one ramp at the park.
However, as time went on, the dedicated group of campaigners found the entire park was in desperate need of a transformation.
In 2018, the park reopened to the public, proving to be a popular hotspot for the young people of the Moray town.
With the entire committee preparing to step down at their AGM on September 26, the future of the park now hangs in the balance.
Search for new custodians begins
The secretary is hopeful someone will step forward to take it off their hands and secure the future for the skate park.
However, she says they will reach out to fellow park owners to help secure the park’s future.
She added: “It would be a shame to lose the skate park, especially after all the funding that not only ourselves that have done but the local community. If there isn’t a committee then the ramps have to go, so there has to be a committee to keep it open.
“I think that all that would really need to be done for the skate park is to keep funding for liability insurance.
“We’re just glad to have kept the skate park in Keith for such a long time because its well-used and it’s a good space for the kids to go rather than going about on the streets. We have had a lot of fun doing it.
“Parents have been a great help and Keith has been really supporting and helped us. I really do hope that someone comes on board.”
Conversation