Minister Goward spoke on behalf of the Community Building Partnership Grant saying that it was “wonderful to see the community get behind a project which will benefit the youth of Gunning district and travellers using Gunning as a break in their journey”.

“I am pleased, through the Community Building Partnership Funding Program, the NSW State Government was able to contribute $15,000 towards this great project.”

Trustee John Reynolds said that “the Veolia Mulwaree Trust was happy to contribute grant funds to the Gunning Skate Park ($90,004). Veolia Mulwaree Trust has been able to step in with matching funding for projects in the Upper Lachlan Shire to the tune of $973,264 whilst the town of Gunning has seen $236,159 funding to improve community facilities”.

Mayor John Shaw thanked Veolia Mulwaree Trust and Community Building Partnerships for their contribution and praised the crowd of intrepid parents and children, many from Dalton, for braving the weather. The children used the sides of the skate bowl as a water slide, screaming with glee and youthful exuberance when landing in the pooled rainwater.

Mayor Shaw also applauded the efforts of Gunning Youth to make the skate park a reality. “This opening day is the culmination of a long process of planning and grant application which started six years ago with Guy Southwell, Leigh Hickey, Harry Morris and Marty Smith who approached Council with a petition for a skate park for Gunning”.

Sam and Craig Southwell were in attendance at the opening clearly proud of Gunning Youth who, with the assistance of Lions Club of Gunning, raised $5,871.85 towards the project. Craig mentioned that “Gunning is sure to become a major stop in the Skate Trail which sees serious skateboarders, bikers, scooters and bladers visit the different local skate parks to hone their skills on diverse equipment”.

The 250m² Gunning Skate Park, set in the Gunning Showground, consists of a bowl with shallow end, spine, two hips and an extension with escalators. There is an attached street area which has a grind rail, ledge, bank, and quarter pipe. The skate park was designed and built by Oasis Skate Parks.

As part of the project, the skate park now hosts a safer fence and closing gate, covered picnic table, bin, safety signage and pram ramp/footpath to the street area. A plaque quoting Napoleon Hill stands at the entrance to the Gunning Skate Park reminding us when championing a community project… “First comes thought, then organisation of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is your imagination.”