Was this the view of the users of the park? It is also disappointing as he was one of those responsible for the provision of this park and also the disastrous installation of the skate park in Haverhill which cost some £40,000 and which, due to its construction, was unsuitable for its location and had to be removed.

The mobile skatepark, which cost £23,850, arrived in August 2003 and then spent 12 months locked away in storage before finally getting used, mainly in the rural areas for which it was purchased. It was popular during the summer holidays in 2004, although with a rushed and limited programme and lack of publicity, this is borne out by a comment at a full council meeting by deputy leader, Cllr Jeff Stevens: “When the mobile skatepark came to Clare, I was impressed by the young staff who were a great credit to St Edmundsbury. They were imaginative, exciting and very helpful.”

Sadly it is reported that the two visits to Clare in 2007 produced just seven visitors for the eight hours it was there.

We are told the organising of staffing and transport has been a problem throughout its time at St Edmundsbury, although a councillor recently said at a meeting that he felt there was a lack of commitment to the deployment of the park.

This is borne out by the fact that less than 60 per cent of its revenue funding was spent on the programme in 2007 (£5,669 from a budget of £10,000). Before 2007, this pensioner spent quite a few hours assisting with the setting up of this equipment at various locations, quite often working with just two women. These two should get a medal for their efforts.

It would also seem wise to retain the park until the current one at Olding Road has been replaced at a new location, hopefully with something with lower costs than the current park, which has been costly to maintain – £12,000 in one year alone.

One would hope that if the skatepark is to be sold, it could be offered to a group of parishes within the borough for a nominal sum.

Jim Thorndyke,

Stanton.