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New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - John Garcia (12th Aug 2011 - 09:17:58) Dear Liphook Teens and Adults, My name is John Garcia and I am a resident of Liphook. Im 24 and I live with my wife to be and kids. The teens around liphook have nothing to do, due to the lack of facilities for them, so I have decided to try and get them a new Skatepark, and Youthclub (both together) where skaters and non skaters can hang out, chill and socialize whilst having fun without having to resort to alcohol. My idea is having a roofed skatepark on the small field next to the current skatepark, with better ramps, railings etc, and the youth club where the old skatepark currently is. The youthclub will consist of mainly a chill out zone, with some music, some video games, comfortable sofas, a tuck shop. This will be looking to the skatepark so that non skaters can see and spectate. On a weekend we could have parties (obviously alcohol will not be an option) where the teens could provide the latest music, and take part at DJ"ing". The whole project would need a lot of funding, but hey I dream big and I think the teens deserve it, besides I think it will be cheaper then building a new Care Home. My main worry is that it will cost money to keep it running, but we could do fund raising events on a monthly basis: for example concerts where the local talent can perform, and maybe charge a small monthly subscription fee to join the youth club. The ages I have in mind for this youth club will be from 12 - 21. I have written a letter to the local MP Damian Hinds asking if he would be willing to back us on this project. I would appreciate any comments, ideas or any help with this project. Thank you, and lets make this happen! liphookteens@gmail.com.

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - simon cooper (12th Aug 2011 - 12:36:18) Dear John, We at the BLPP Parish Plan would be only too delighted to support your initiative. Outstanding that someone has an idea and the drive to take it forward. My son and his friends do little else but perform on decks, so I have a personal interest too. I will drop you a line at the address you left. Good news! Simon

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - John G (12th Aug 2011 - 12:52:18) Hi Simon, I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you! John

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - Carol (12th Aug 2011 - 13:51:45) Are the residents who live near this site likely to get a say in this? The noise from this area is already appalling (particularly at weekends and often in the early hours of the morning, youths shouting and swearing loudly with no concern for residents) so to suggest a new skatepark with youth club and regular parties sounds like an absolute nightmare.

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - vicki (12th Aug 2011 - 14:18:00) Hi John, I think this is a great idea. My daughter is only a year old but I am a secondary teacher in Portsmouth and so do I understand how important it is to give the local teenagers somewhere to go and something to do. Although having trains out of the village is great, these young people need something provided for them here. I'd be very happy to help you with ideas, planning etc. Feel free to get in touch. Ed, could you please pass on my email address, thanks. Vicki

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - John G (12th Aug 2011 - 14:38:43) Dear Carol, I understand your concerns, however the parties would be held on a friday or saturday night, and would end around 11-12pm, and the youthclub would obviously have volunteers that would mingle with the teens and also keep everything under control. I am hoping that by opening this new skatepark and youthclub we can keep our teens occupied enough so that they don't have to resort to alcohol and being a nuisance to residents. I am hoping to teach them respect for their community by first handing it to them, as we are the adults!. I will happily be a volunteer at these parties where our teens (the future of Liphook) can express themselves in a respectful manner. I would also like to point out to you that I have been woken many times in the early hours of a weekend by drunken youths outside my house. Would you rather them have somewhere to hang out and have fun?, or be on the streets drinking? Please do not worry as all residents will be taken into consideration. Vicky, Thank you very much, I have already spoken to a few people whom I am going to meet up in a week (i am away on holiday soon) to arrange a plan of action, so the more the merrier!! I look forward to your email. Regards, John G liphookteens@gmail.com

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - A Ryan (12th Aug 2011 - 14:48:07) John, These ideas are very good, but nothing the youth have not thought of before. What did you do around here as a youth, as you are not that old now. I do wonder at your complete turn around from your previous posts, which were quite enlightening and quite worrying.

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - John G (12th Aug 2011 - 15:22:34) A Ryan, I grew up in Guildford, and partly in Ibiza, Spain. As you could understand I am after all human, and at the start of the Local Teens threads I was still angry that I had been woken several times, and my heavily pregnant girlfriend too by local teens late at night, and also that my motorcycle was stolen not long ago, however after reading what some of the teens have written on the thread I thought to myself, OK, lets give these kids somewhere to hang out, and to socialize and that would end their boredom, hence their problems would be solved, and ours too. I am a firm believer that children need to be put in their place with discipline and authority when they need it, and also rewarded when they are good. I was brought up by my father who is a traditional country spaniard, although I do not condone beating, I do condone the odd clip around the ear hole by the parents when they get really out of hand, as sometimes simply taking away their pocket money isnt enough. I do apologize if I came across a little aggressive, but it is something that I am hot headed and passionate about. After all I want my children to grow up descent men, who do not lack respect for society, or authority. If a youthclub (for those who do not skate), and a skate park (for those who do), is not what our local teens want, then please have them email me with suggestions and ideas. Regards, John.

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - Mike W (12th Aug 2011 - 19:06:34) Great idea John and lets all pull together to get this going for the kids. I also wonder why this couldn\'t go alongside with the new football pitch at Bohunt as they seem to have started with this. Wasn\'t there going to be a club house with the new pitch as well which could double up as a youth centre when the clubs aren\'t using it? - saving of costs, and no neighbours to upset ! On this subject, does anyone know when exactly we are going to get the pitch and weren\'t there allotments somewhere as well - we having been waiting ages for these!!! maybe next spring in time for the planting season ??? John could you publicise a date for a meeting at the Millenium Hall on Talkback for all those interested to meet up to kick start this?

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - Hannah (12th Aug 2011 - 19:26:25) I am very supportive of this - but share the trepidation about potential late-night noise as someone who is about to move in nearby with small children. I have a two year old and 9 month old - who I sincerely hope will reach their teens while we are still in the village. Forgive me for not offering to volunteer in the short term as I have more than my hands full with the children and rarely leave the house after bath time (theirs, not mine!) but I wish you great success. I have not been a teenager for (deep breath) eighteen years - so half my life ago - but they ARE the best years of your life and I would really have welcomed this when I was that age. One point of concern - 12-21 seems like a very wide age range - I can't imagine the two ends of that spectrum have much in common?

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - John G (13th Aug 2011 - 09:11:57) Mike, Not everyone wants to play football, there are a lot of teens in liphook who like to skate and bmx, and others who just simply want to chill out. Thats my aim, to have a descent place where our teens can be themselves. Hannah, 12 - 21 is a big age gap, what ages would you recomment? Thank you both for your positive views on this project! Regards, John G

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - Mike (13th Aug 2011 - 10:52:30) John I agree that not everyone wants to play football, but it just occurred to me that if the new football pitches are being built at Bohunt Manor, and this would be mainly for our kids, wouldnt it be a great idea if the football club house could also be used by a local youth club ? And surely it would not be too expensive to locate the skate park there as well ? The great advantage has to be a saving of costs as there would be a sharing of costs, and the other great advantage is that it is slightly out of the way as I recall, but close to the centre, so easy walking distance and NO IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURS EDITOR are you able to show the plans and exact location for the football pitch and clubhouse (and anyone know when these will be ready ? and allotments for my missus !!!) JOHN lets get a meeting arranged with all parents who would like to be volunteers and discuss fund raising - PLEASE Bohunt Manor football/cricket pitch plans planningdevelopment.easthants.gov.uk/... and planningdevelopment.easthants.gov.uk/...

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - John G (13th Aug 2011 - 11:27:55) Dear all, The plans look great, if we could get a descent skatepark too, and the youthclub it would be ideal I think. Ok, I will pop down to the millenium hall and see about booking a meeting. Regards, John G

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - Hannah (13th Aug 2011 - 18:49:54) On the basis that, once they get to legal drinking age, our "teens" are much more likely to want to socialise in the pub (and why not?), I'd say 14-18 might be a better age range. I can't see many 12 year olds being allowed to stay out until 11pm, nor can I imagine many 17 year olds wanting to hang out with them even if they were! I say that as I first managed to get into a nightclub at the age of 14. Absolutely considered myself grown up enough to do so. No way would I have thought that at 12. But by 14 I was regularly socialising with 18 year olds (presumably, unless we were ALL underage - i suppose its possible - it's a miracle that place never got shut down!). Likewise I went to my first festivals aged 14 but would never have been allowed at 12. I think a lot of growing up happens in those two years...

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - may (13th Aug 2011 - 19:32:06) Good luck John I hope you succeed, the kids of Liphook need somewhere to go and something to do, but sadly there are always going to be some people who will object to anything

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - Mike (13th Aug 2011 - 21:19:25) Great John, if the date for the Millenium Hall meeting meeting is publicised on Talkback then lets get as many parents and families to attend as possible. What about getting some coverage in The Liphook Herald ? Is there any one who could help with publicity or connected to local papers to raise awareness and for fund raising? I am ready to get stuck in after our holidays but need to know what to do. EDITOR thanks for the links showing the plans (the first link doesnt seem to show anything ???) Does this land belong to IML does anyone know ? because it looks like there is land on the side of the football pitch which is shown as a car park, which could easily accommodate a skate park without impacting on the football pitch itself, and this is just perfect in terms of location as there are no immediate neighbours ! I wonder if an approach could be made to IML to see if they would consider the skate park at the Bohunt Manor football pitch land ? This area could create an enclave for young people in the village, where they can take ownership of running their own show in a responsible way and create a set up in which they can be proud of - very important this to make responsible adults - John I support your approach in this regard 100 % (do you think that the rioters would have trashed their own facilities had they been involved in struggling to set them up ??? - I dont think so!!!) On the matter of the youth club, I was under the impression that there was also going to be a clubhouse with the football pitch at Bohunt Manor, because this would work well doubling up as a youth club venue at times when the football clubs werent using the building. Does anyone know where the clubhouse was going to go for the the new football pitch, or have I misunderstood this ? Do we know exactly when the football pitch is going to be ready for our great local club ? I noticed the sign opposite where the Jet Garage used to be, but it does not say much.

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - dave (13th Aug 2011 - 22:59:13) as in the skate park we dont need one as they have one all ready and football 10 years or more

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - John G (14th Aug 2011 - 09:47:11) Have you seen the state of the skate park? - Rusty ramps - No roof - All made of metal so when it rains, it becomes very slippery and dangerous - A shoddy bench Regards, John.

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - Mike (14th Aug 2011 - 17:41:31) Dave this is a SHOCKING and curmudgeonly attitude. If we dont respect the kids, how can we ever expect them to respect us and society ? It may be cliche, but Children are the Future! Lets pull together are do the best for the kids of Liphook Lets get do what we can to get the best facilities possible for our kids - anything is possible if the will is there.

Re: New Skate Park & Youth Club Project - liz (15th Aug 2011 - 11:07:29) Perhaps worth noting that there are no plans for a clubhouse for either the football pitch or cricket pitch. Also,as far as I'm aware no funding for either of the pitches. I've asked on this website several times where the funding will come from but not had a reply.

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