It's the school holidays, and a sprawling new region-first skate park is calling any kid with a deck, a dream and the ability to hitch a ride to Berry.
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The quarter pipe has barely a scuff on it and the rails are everything the skaters hoped they would be. Those first in agree this is the best skate park in the region, maybe the state. There's just one problem: the seemingly completed park is all fenced off.
Dozens of skaters are finding their way inside construction fencing and running the gauntlet with patrolling security staff at the park, officially Boongaree Skate Park and Pump Track.
Aspiring professional skater Daniel, from Minnamurra, is among those who were disappointed to find the facility not open for the holidays.
"I feel it's kind of stupid. I don't understand why the skate park's done, but we're not allowed to skate and the fencing's still up. They say we can't skate because the landscaping needs to be done, but I don't think anyone really cares about that - we just want the skate park open," he said.
"There's other skate parks in the Illawarra, but we were super-duper excited about this one."
Windang skater Jett, 15, said the park was "clearly skateable".
"We think it's done. We're a bit uncertain why they're keeping it closed and why we're getting in trouble for doing what it's made for," he said.
"The only thing I can think of that's making it not ready to be open is the lights. But even then, they could finish that work while the park is open.
"In terms of how it's been built and the effort they've put into it, I'd say it's up there with some of the best, if not the best in NSW. Which is why everyone is skating it regardless [of the fences]."
A spokeswoman for Shoalhaven City Council said rain in late 2022 was to blame for the park's delayed opening.
"Construction work to complete the pump track and skate park in the Boongaree Park has been temporarily suspended during the summer break and will resume again when the contractor returns soon," she said.
"Despite the best efforts of everyone involved in trying to have this park ready in time for Christmas, the prevailing wet weather throughout the project, including that experienced in early December, meant that the final critical touches to complete the work could not be done.
With Boongaree - the name originally bestowed on the Berry area by the Wodi Wodi people of the Dharawal nation - council has set out to create "a destination youth space" that will stimulate economic growth to the area through tourism. The projects are part of the Berry Strategic Plan, developed to counteract the effects of a highway bypass in 2018.
The project's stage one development, the $6.5 million Boongaree Rotary Nature Play Park and Learn to Ride, opened in January last year.
Council has allocated another $7.4 million for stages 2-7 of the development, which includes the skate park, pump track and other elements.
The skate park, designed to a technical standard that will make it suitable to host competitions, is set around four main user areas: a contemporary snake run that pays homage to a beloved feature of Berry's former skate park, a mini bowl with roll-in and spine, a street/plaza area and the pump track.
Council says the skate park will now open in mid-late February, weather permitting.
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Angela Thompson
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
