ROCKY DRIFT – The much publicised and talked-about children’s charity skatepark has officially closed its doors as a lack of funds and poor construction led to its premature demise.
In the past year it has failed to bear any fruits for hundreds of local skateboarders and the larger skating community. This is mainly due to a sponsorship shortage and lack of government funding and interest in the project.
Owner Ms Tanya Ritchie has been adversly affected after a year of planning and hard work turned into an ugly concrete mess.
Ritchie is in a massive financial dilemma after losing all the proceeds of her house sale on the venue.
“I am devastated as I put a lot of effort and all my finances into this project. Following a debacle with the new floor I have not been able to open to the public and the landlord has used this clause to cancel my lease,” she said.
This all formed part of Extreme Sports Community Development, an initiative that goes hand in hand with the opening of the skatepark. The main idea was to involve the underprivileged communities in the skateboarding scene and teach them life skills that go hand in hand with skateboarding.
“I had a sponsor to concrete the floor, but the workers used all the crusher stone when more than two-thirds cement were unopened. Obviously I only have the benefit of the knowledge from PPC cement who donated all the materials,” she stated.
Donovan Leach of PPC cement was kind enough to donate another four cubes of sand and four cubes of stone after the original calculated materials were delivered.
“I am now left with a less than half-finished floor and I have had to cancel pending events.
The floor has been left in a disgusting condition and I have been unable to find another contractor willing to donate his time.”
“I now owe R40 000 in rent and the fact that I am no longer trading is grounds to cancel my lease immediately. So one year of extremely hard work and passion appears to have been in vain,” she lamented.
