Bayswater mayor Dan Bull, Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker, and Morley Labor MP Amber-Jade Sanderson. Photo supplied.

THE Wotton Reserve skate and BMX park has been given a stay of demolition until 2022, and the state government has now confirmed it’ll give Bayswater council $2.5million for a new park.

Skaters and supporters previously thought the park would be demolished as early as March 2021 to make way for Metronet’s Bayswater train station upgrades, and were growing concerned Bayswater council was acting too slowly to find a replacement site.

Councillors were meant to decide on a replacement site in December but a split vote saw it deferred until next year, and one of the reasons for deferral was not having the state government contribution locked down. 

This week the McGowan government confirmed the $2.5m allocation and transport minister Rita Saffioti said “the current facility won’t be removed until 2022”.

“There is plenty of time for everyone to have their say about where the best location is and what the new skate park should look like,” Ms Saffioti said.

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker said in a statement: “Metronet isn’t just about building new train lines – it’s also about making sure our local communities have the facilities they need.

“Skate parks and BMX tracks are very important to young people in my electorate and I know many were very worried about what the potential loss of these community facilities may mean.

“Now we have funding allocated we can work together to design a brand new skate park.

“I can’t wait to hear from young people in the community about what they would like to see at their new skate park.” 

The Bayswater Skate Park Community, which has been working with the council and prodding them along to find a replacement site, welcomed the news and told us continuing “the location selection, detailed design and delivery timeline is now more important than ever”.

by DAVID BELL