GAZETTE & HERALD: THE solution to Calne's skate park conundrum may have been sitting under the noses of townsfolk for the past five years.

Calne Town Council has promised youngsters a skate park and has investigated a host of sites in the town, even looking at the possibility of building an indoor skate park.

But now the council's amenities committee has asked officers to look into the possibility of modifying the existing BMX Bowl, in Castle Park, near

Station Road, so skaters can use it in

tandem with BMX riders.

Calne Mayor Tony Trotman admitted it would be a compromise because there was not enough room at the bowl to build some of the larger jumps found at bigger skate parks.

But he said that the council has allocated £11,500 towards a mobile skate park for North Wiltshire, which would include half-pipe and quarter-pipe ramps, and could be used by skaters in conjunction with the modified bowl in Castle Park.

Coun Trotman said: "I think it could be the solution. It has been staring us in the face and we have been ignoring it."

Calne town councillor Mercy Baggs, said: "I welcome it because we need somewhere permanent for the youngsters. For years we have wanted a static skate park. Hopefully we will also have a mobile skate park, but it may not be enough on its own, and after it goes away the kids may well be back on the street again."

In the past, concerns about the safety of the BMX bowl, which was built five years ago, have been raised by residents and Coun Trotman admitted skate parks have a reputation for attracting anti-social behaviour.

But town clerk Ann Kingdon's latest report on the status of Calne's skate park, which was presented to the committee last week suggested the site could be made more secure with a bigger fence, lighting and CCTV camera that could be linked to the town's CCTV monitoring station.

Coun Trotman said: "I'm sure it could be made safe. The area's quite open although there are some trees around it, but it's open enough for people to see what's going on and secure enough for youngsters of different ages to use.

"We are very aware of what the public think skate boarders are like and groups of youngsters who gather around the site. But we don't think it would be a problem accommodating this idea into the BMX type of arena we have already got."

The committee also agreed that if the skaters had a safe area to enjoy their sport it would have a knock on effect in improving the town environment.

The council has earmarked £15,848 for the skate park project and Coun Trotman said the amenities committee would look at the possibility of refurbishing the BMX bowl with metal grinding rails and concrete curbing.

He said this may ease tension

between shop owners and skaters, who are fed up with youngsters practising in the town centre and damaging stone steps and windowsills.

In August last year the council received a proposal from businessman Cliff Dale who proposed to build a minimoto circuit, for miniature motorbikes, a caf and a cycle shop at the same location in town.

Mr Dale, 42, offered the council the opportunity to include a BMX bike and skate park within the complex. The council agreed to pursue the idea in partnership with Mr Dale but never received a business plan.