It’s with absolute open-mouthed astonishment that we read the latest press release from the council today about the Ventnor Skate Park.
The last paragraph carries the following sentence,
“Any other groups or individuals who are interested in taking on the licence can still get in contact with the council if they have their own proposals for the park.”
A better illustration of what is so wrong with the current administration sitting at County Hall couldn’t be more clearly shown.
The council is very well aware of the huge effort that volunteers have put in to saving Ventnor Skate Park — so it begs the question — what are they doing fishing around for other groups to come forward when so much has been done by the group already setup?
Those involved have been forced to drop other things in their already busy lives and concentrate their time and attention on bringing together the many strands of a plan.
Let’s not forget that this frantic activity was all forced by the brutish actions of the council swaggering around saying, “we’re going to demolish the skate park,” with close to no notice.
It shows a sadly increasingly typical disregard for the people of the Island. A disregard for the same people who pay the council tax that funds the activities of the council.
Why is it up to the council to solicit the involvement from other parties in the Ventnor Skate Park? This is a park built and refurbished by members of the community for the community. The only involvement of the council is that they leased the land back in 2001.
Along with this comes a feeling that we’re being told that black is white. The council says, “The council is keen to see facilities maintained instead of having to be dismantled.” We think the truth of this is completely opposite from their words – we thought that it was the council’s Property Services department that were all so keen to try and have the skate park demolished.
No signs given
What sticks in the throat, is that the council issue this press release, despite a highly productive meeting on Friday afternoon between the Ventnor Skate Park Group, Ventnor Community Projects and a council official, where the representative from Property Services said, “We will support you as much as possible,” concluding the meeting with “If you’re happy, we’re happy.”
What the hell has changed between Friday afternoon and Tuesday morning?
Slippery actions like these only go to harden people’s feelings and questioning the councils apparent desire to play god with people’s lives.
Just like the schools
The parallels between their attitude toward the skate park and the sickening spectacle of the schools ‘reorganisation’ — encouraging one school to fight against neighbouring school, getting them to justify why one should exist and another should die — are stark.
Roll on May 2009 elections when we’ve got a chance of getting these people away from governing the Island. It can’t come soon enough. [image courtesy of Ventnor skater, Mez]
