An indoor skatepark in Bridport is celebrating four years as a popular spot for tourists and local residents alike.
The 2020 Skate and Ride at Gore Cross Trading Estate will be celebrating four years of its existence with a prize draw on Saturday, August 3, where visitors can win clothes, skateboards and accessories.
The skatepark took on the legacy of the old skatepark 'The Trick Factory', which closed in 2016. It has since established itself at the heart of the town's sporting community, welcoming people of all ages and abilities to take part whether they use a skateboard, scooter, BMX or skates.
Robert Ridge, owner of the skatepark and old-school BMXer, shared how despite overcoming many hurdles since the park opened in August 2020, it feels like time has flown.
He said: "It doesn’t seem like four years ago, it seems like such a short time ago.
"It was a bit of a torrid time when the skatepark first opened because we had to deal with the pandemic. We were riding the waves of that but certainly in the last few years it’s settled own to become an established facility that serves the town well."
Mr Ridge added that the park has seen a resurgence of interest since this year's Olympic Games began, with mountain biking and skateboarding being among the first televised finals.
He also added that the park has been busier as a result of the hot weather, with a big influx of people visiting the indoor venue to escape the hot weather with temperatures reaching up to 30 degrees.
He said: “Although the weather is really good, we tend to be busier when the weather is bad but we’ve been really busy this morning, which is great to see.
“The amount of people who come along usually goes up and down in waves. It’s young people, mostly teenagers, who come and we do have a small number of people who have becoming since the beginning to develop their skills. This is great to see."
2020 Skate and Ride is open Monday to Saturday throughout the summer.
As Mr Ridge looks back over the years, he says he is proud that he and his team of volunteers have established the skatepark as a popular spot for both tourists and local residents.
He said: “It’s good now that people know we are here. We’re one of few sports attractions in town that visitors and locals alike can enjoy.
“I'm so happy that it has been able to run on. I want to thank everyone who has helped and those continue to use and support it.
"Hopefully we can keep good thing going as long as we can.”
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