Kara Jung: How – two decades on – are we still here? Which is nowhere at all

I thought we were supposed to be afraid of kids spending too much time indoors, writes Kara Jung.

At our house we have this great little ritual of shoving bikes or scooters in my little car, all piling in and heading to a suburb far far away because, despite 20 years of debate, there’s still nowhere to skate, scoot or BMX in the east.

Burnside Council’s plans for a $1m skate park have taken a backwards step again, following concerns from a minority of locals – and a group of elected members completely out of step with what the community wants.

Council staff had recommended the council proceed to a $15,000 concept-design phase for skating and BMX facilities at Newland Park, with two locations in that park on the table following a feasibility study.

One of the Newland Park options would have gobbled up an eastern tennis court at Burnside Tennis Club, reducing the number of courts from four to three.

In an area flush with tennis courts this seems like a great compromise. I have for years driven past those courts and the only time I’ve seen them crawling with people is when the council trialed the portable pump track there.

Newland Park Reserve and the two proposed sites for the skate park.

Local supporters for a skate park in Burnside pictured outside the council chambers. Picture: Tom Huntley

The second proposed location would have eaten into a portion of the western oval – causing the ground to be “significantly shortened” – but if you look at the map, it actually just takes a small sliver off the rectangle. We’ve often played cricket there and that section was never part of the “oval” as it was too far away.

Both options were also predicted to exceed acceptable noise levels.

This is ridiculous.

During a lengthy debate at the last council meeting, Cr Jennifer Turnbull added the projected noise levels would negatively impact residents. How is kids riding skateboards any louder than a bunch of kids being cheered on playing baseball, footy or cricket or the kindy kids next door? Give me a break.

The debate also drew comments from professional tennis coach Roger Rasheed, who said the removal of a tennis court was “not right in my books” and a skate park at Newland was “not a progressive option at all”.

Harry, 12, Imogen, 12, Ryan, 11, and Mylo, 10 at Newland Park in Burnside, where the council has gone back to the drawing board on a $1m skate park. Picture: Matt Loxton

Ummm … the council just spent a crap-load of residents’ money on a 12-month trial to determine that Newland Park was the best spot for it.

There has been a community push for a skate-and-BMX park in Burnside since the ’90s.

I’d invite anyone who is opposed to one to head on down to the BMX tracks in the city on the corner of Unley and Greenhill, or head on over to one of the skate parks in Golden Grove or Hallett Cove or West Beach or Osborne, to see just how popular and well-loved these facilities are for kids of all ages. I’d invite you to see what a positive impact they have on a local community and, indeed, the positive impact they have on families. I even bought an adult scooter last year so I too could join in the fun with my kids.

We bemoan kids spending too much time on screens being sedentary and yet, when a community has kids openly and enthusiastically campaigning for facilities that would have them outside doing exercise, we shut it down. This council has spent many tens of thousands on portable track trials and council investigations and then openly ignores the clear recommendations.

Cr Julian Carbone said it well when he described his council’s attempts to squash a community’s call for a much-needed skate and BMX park as “long, sad and … outright depressing”.

Although even he said he didn’t like the location – you know, right next to a kindy and just a short walk from the local school. Insert face palm here.

How – two decades on – are we still here? Which is nowhere at all.

It’s a terrible message to our kids that what they want doesn’t matter – even though it would have huge health benefits for them and their community.

They deserve better.