Friday, 17 August 2018

Young people from Yarragon’s growing skateboard, rollerblade, scooter and BMX community were out in force showcasing all the latest tricks at the new Yarragon Skate Park made possible thanks to $221,250 from the Andrews Labor Government.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing joined Baw Baw Shire Councillors and members from the Yarragon community today to celebrate the official opening of the new skate park.

Skate parks are an integral part of today’s youth culture and provide a safe place for young people to connect, while also promoting active lifestyles.

Skating in Yarragon is more popular than ever with 87 per cent of the town’s primary school aged students owning a scooter or skateboard.

The new skate park is a massive boost to the town’s youth who will no longer have to travel long distances like Trafalgar or Warragul to find a safe place to skate.

The facility features a quarter-pipe, china bank, volcano, rails, ramps, banks, bowls and more, providing an ideal space for local events, competitions, practice and play.

Ms Shing thanked project partners Baw Baw Shire Council and the Yarragon Skate Park Committee for their efforts to rally strong local support for the new skate park.

This is just one of the many projects backed by the Latrobe Valley Authority’s Community Facility Fund which supports community-led initiatives and projects that help make the region a great place to live and work.

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“Skate parks just like the brand new facility in Yarragon make a massive difference to young people and to the vibrancy of local communities.”

“This new local park provides a great place for skaters of all ages and abilities to come together, share their skills and make new friends, and comes more than a decade after Yarragon skaters and their families first proposed it.”

“It’s been a huge honour to help Yarragon to secure this funding and we are determined to continue investing in infrastructure just like this so that more communities across the Latrobe Valley region can reach their full potential as our population grows.”