Local teen brings Yorkeys Knob skate park project to fruition

A northern beaches teenager began lobbying council when he was just 12 years old for a youth activity space – and six years later he was on hand to turn the first sod. What to expect.

PERSEVERANCE paid off for Yorkeys Knob teenager Ross Willis, who led a six-year campaign to have a skate park at the northern beaches suburb.

Cairns Regional Council allocated $170,000 for the project in its recent budget and work on the long-awaited facility began this week.

Mr Willis, 17, said he first contacted council six years ago and organised a petition that had 1000 signatures as well as enlisting the support of Division 8 Cr Rhonda Coghlan and the Yorkeys Knob Residents Association.

Clayton Farmer of Trinity Skateparks with Yorkeys Knob resident Ross Willis, 17, who campaigned for six years to get a skate park at the northern beaches suburb – and work on the project began on August 9. Picture: Bronwyn Farr.

“We just didn’t have a skate park and me and all my mates were skating around Yorkeys causing trouble, so we figured if there was a place to skate, we wouldn’t be ruining all the ledges,” Mr Willis said.

The skate park, which will be completed in the next six weeks, could help reduce youth crime, he said.

“I think giving children an area to be will probably prevent a bit of crime, and if it doesn’t prevent it, we will be able to monitor it more closely, but entertained kids are less likely to cause trouble,” Mr Willis said.

“There was a big skating community, it dropped off a bit but it’ll come back because a lot of the kids will actually have a place to do it.”

Cr Coghlan said two design options were presented and more than 120 people responded.

“I’m particularly pleased to see this come to fruition for the primary school children of Yorkeys Knob,” she said.

“This is a small, low-key skate facility, less than 200sq m – comparable to half a tennis court – to put that into context, Coastwatchers Park at Trinity Beach is more than 1000sq m.”

She said no trees would be cut down at Old School Park on Wattle St, the site of the skate park.

Originally published as Local teen brings Yorkeys Knob skate park project to fruition