COUNCILLORS have answered young people's wishes by pledging at least £40,000 for a new skate park and pushing ahead with a new drop-in centre.

The project to relocate Calne's skate park is well under way, with at least half the funding already secured to replace the skate park in Station Road with a new one at the Rec.

"I think we are really going somewhere with this," said town clerk Ann Kingdon.

Already Calne Town Council and North Wiltshire District Council have pledged £10,000 each and town councillors agreed to allocate a further £10,000 towards it from their 2000/2001 budget.

It is hoped the district council will match this second sum of money, which would bring the total up to £40,000.

Over the next couple of years it is envisaged both councils might pledge another £10,000 each and it is also hoped to secure Lottery funding.

Mrs Kingdon said: "It is really important for the town and district councils to show their support and commitment at this stage and we are hoping to put together a bid for a Lottery grant.

"If we get that the skate park could be much bigger and better than we are already envisaging."

Town youngsters have been heavily involved in contributing ideas and a group of skaters met with Mrs Kingdon at the beginning of the month to discuss what they would like to see at the Rec.

They were joined by Greg Howe, of GBH Skate Parks Ltd, who has invited them to visit a new park in Poole.

Youngsters came up with ideas such as having a graffitti wall incorporated into the design, as well as a drinking fountain.

Mrs Kingdon, who said she has really enjoyed working with the young people, added: "It just goes to show what you can achieve when you involve people in the local community and build up a rapport."

Calne Town Council has promised not to leave skaters without a place to skate and the first phase of the park at The Rec will be in place before the exisiting park is demolished.

Work on the skate park will have to be phased over a period of up to three years, but the construction will have to start in the near future soat least part of it to be ready when planning permission for the exisiting park runs out in July.

"We really do need to get this going and off the ground now," said Mrs Kingdon. "This and the drop in centre are two major things to tick off a long list of things needed in the town."

Town councillors expect to hear from North Wiltshire District Council this week if they will be allowed to turn the old Little Jeannie's shop in Wood Street into the drop-in centre for youngsters.

Town councillor Mercy Baggs has been striving to get the facilty set up since 1991.

Initially it will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 7pm to 10pm and will welcome youngsters in the 14 to 20 age bracket.

Developer Persimmon, which is building hundreds of homes in north Calne, has donated £10,000 to buy the lease on the shop.