Council will consider the Braidwood skate park as part of its delivery program for 2018-2021.
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That was the decision made at a council meeting on Wednesday night, during which council received the report from community consultation into the three proposed locations.
It followed a controversial decision in November, in which council voted to exclude any skate facility from Ryrie Park.
Mayor Tim Overall defended the actions of the elected council, both in the decision made in November, and in the recent meeting.
Consultants “jumped the gun,” when they led the skating community to believe that skate elements would be included in Ryrie Park in August. The matter should have been considered before an elected council, before being put to the community, Mayor Overall said.
Mayor Overall was Administrator of the newly amalgamated Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council at that stage. He says he was not involved in the process of drawing up the plans or consulting with the community.
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For skaters, the results of the meeting were inconclusive.
The sway a small group within the community has held in the skate park debate has been disappointing, said Karuna Bajracharya, a long time supporter of the skate park.
“It’s depressing that our council is not really listening to the voice of popular opinion, and the voice of professionals in the industry… but is instead pandering to a select minority in our community, that seems to have a sway over influence at council,” Mr Bajracharya said.
Mr Bajracharya defended his aggressive commentary on social media, attributing it to frustration with the unceremonious dumping of skate elements included in the Ryrie Park concept plan.
“When you’ve spent four years trying to champion something for the youth of the community and then it’s pulled out from under your feet… emotions rise up,” Mr Bajracharya said.
The Braidwood Outsiders appreciate the support they have received from the community, and the commitment of councillors to a skate park.
However, the group would like a clear explanation as to why skate elements would be inappropriate for Ryrie Park, says president Jane Magnus.
Having been given at least four different answers from four different councillors, she has found herself frustrated by an unclear rationale for the elements’ removal.
“We believe that all the people who supported Ryrie Park, that they deserve a clear explanation, from the councillors about exactly why skate elements are not to be included,” Ms Magnus said.
“We would also like an answer for why a community survey was conducted… and yet the least favoured option was the immediate choice for all the councillors.”
"We've really mucked this whole situation up," is what Councillor Kenrick Winchester had to say about the skate park debate at the meeting on Wednesday.
The only councillor to vote against the controversial motion in November, Cr Winchester said he feels the issue has not been resolved, merely postponed.
“What decision did we make? We decided that we might put money towards a skate park in Braidwood and that’s it. We didn’t decide where that skate park would be,” he said.
“After hearing both sides of the argument I think it’s very clear it should go in Ryrie Park North, and the south which is already being upgraded can stay as a nice heritage style park.”
At this stage there is no timeframe for the construction of a park, a council representative said.
Funding for a concept plan may be allocated in the 2018-2021 Delivery Program, but construction funding would need to be considered at a later date.