Local children in Dalton at the site of the proposed skate park. Photo: Kath Vivas.
The small country town of Dalton, in the NSW Southern Tablelands, is rolling ahead with plans to build a skate park for its older children.
Currently, the town only has three swings and an old tennis court.
Dalton and Community District Association treasurer Kath Vivas says a skate park would provide the kids with a free and safe place to scoot, skate and ride in safety off the road.
“It will also provide them with hours of exercise and relaxation, as well as a place to just hang out and connect socially,” she says.
Twelve-year-old Hunter Waine is a keen scooter rider with a 912-strong following on Instagram.
He lives in Dalton and would love to have a skate park close to home.
“I started high school this year and the bus does not get home until 4:45 pm,” says Hunter.
“It is too late for mum and dad to take me to the Gunning skate park [10km away] and I would love to have a local skate park that I could just go to after my long bus trip from Yass.
“I would like to go down there and meet my friends for an hour or two before it gets dark.”
The project has support from the community, approval from Upper Lachlan Shire Council, and verbal support from Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman and Member for Hume Angus Taylor.
“The only thing missing is the money to build it,” says Kath.
The community association recently missed out on a large grant from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal that would have provided enough funds to construct the skate park.
Now they are trying to raise the money themselves while applying for other grants.
One resident has set up a ‘Help Dalton Build a Skate Park’ GoFundMe campaign to help.
With $190 raised on GoFundMe so far, $650 raised through a Bunnings barbecue, a $1000 grant from Acciona, and $1000 in donations from the community association and Lions Club of Gunning, the Dalton community has amassed $2800 towards its goal of $60,000.
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