Aberdeen skatepark spruced up after concerns raised

An Aberdeen skatepark is undergoing a series of work to give it a new lease of life.

Work has been undertaken to improve the BMX track adjacent to Cults Primary School.

Residents had raised concerns about the state of the area, which had become overgrown and the paths were neglected.

Aberdeen City Council has now carried out a series of works to improve the area.

The council has carried out path work, clearing fallen trees and obstructions.

Philip Bell, who is running as a Conservative council candidate for Lower Deeside, contacted the local authority asking for the area to be tidied up after residents said work needed work done.

He said: “A survey of the state of the equipment has been carried out with a view to current safety of the facility and future refurbishment.

“Survey returns from my introductory election leaflet have all noted the lack of facilities for young people and the poor value from council tax.

“I hope the fantastic efforts of all concerned will make inroads into those concerns.”

Mr Bell has been working with resident Mark Openshaw to get the project off the ground.

Mr Openshaw proposes setting up a Friends of Cults BMX Group.

He said: “A resident who had moved back into the area said it was deteriorating and it wasn’t until you really looked that you saw how much it had.

“Since the area has been improved people have started using it more, with many saying they didn’t realise it was there.

“The equipment was surveyed by the council but we haven’t had the results of that yet.”

Mr Openshaw hopes the area will benefit the entire community.

He said: “We hope we can utilise the area and have the schools involved which could help plant bulbs. “It is just at an early stage at the moment and nothing formal has been arranged.”

Other candidates running in the Lower Deeside area are Pamela McBain (SNP), Taqueer Malik (Labour), and Ken McLeod (Liberal Democrat).