Plans for Wollongong City Council's $600,000 Berkeley skate park will go ahead, despite a councillor labelling it "a great idea in a bad location".
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Speaking at Monday's meeting against the planned skate plaza to be built at Holborn Park, Labor councillor Chris Connor raised concerns about safety, truancy and anti-social behaviour.
He said the "concrete bunker" would destroy views of Lake Illawarra and interrupt families using the park for walking or picnics.
"It's a positive family park we are about to destroy," he said.
"It's there, an unsightly mess and everyone who drives over the hill will see it."
He said noise was also a concern for residents, as was safety for children who would be running across Northcliffe Drive to access the park.
He also noted the park's proximity to Illawarra Sports High School could cause truancy problems and lead to graffiti or other anti-social behaviour.
Cr Connor said he represented the views of 18 residents who opposed the skate park during consultation.
However, the vast majority of more than 480 survey respondents were in support, with many young people requesting non-skate areas, like a half basketball court, as well as barbecue areas, seating and safety lighting.
Cr Connor's Liberal counterpart Bede Crasnich, who grew up in Berkeley, said there was a desperate need to give young people a place to meet.
Cr Crasnich said the new park would actually help address concerns about the activities of youth truanting and loitering outside a nearby Berkeley supermarket.
"There's a common misconception about [the negative aspects of] skate parks ... because they are actually a good outlet for young people to hang out and have something to do," he said
"This actually discourages antisocial behaviour and that area has been needing something like this for about 15 years."
Cr Crasnich said Holborn Park was large enough to cater for skaters and other residents who wanted to picnic or exercise, and that the "new age skate park" would not be an eyesore on the Lake Illawarra foreshore.
The council will now invite tenders for the design and construction of the skate plaza, which is intended to be completed by early next year.
