IT’S JUST NOT FAIR ON THE KIDS. Brisbane kids may soon be forced to pay increased fees to access a locally-run indoor skate park with Brisbane City Council looking to hit the facility with $124,000 charge. RampAttak Indoor Skatepark Director Wayne Larkins said the Geebung-based business had kept admission costs low for the past three years but BCC’s refusal to budge on exorbitant transportation, sewerage and water charges meant customers would wear the brunt of a price increase. “We wish it didn’t have to be like this but BCC is just refusing to see the mistake they’ve made,” Mr Larkin said. “For the past three years, RampAttak has been able to provide a place where young people can enjoy a cheap, safe, and secure place where they can ride scooters, skateboards , BMX bikes, mountainbikes and rollerblades. “It means kids are off the streets and in a safe and supervised environment where it’s undercover. “We have been able to do this for $X but with BCC refusing to budge on these charges, we’re now looking at $X. “For some kids that means they won’t be able to skate here anymore and will be forced to unsupervised and unsafe venues.” Mr Larkins said the business was prepared to pay its share but $124,000 to convert the use of an old warehouse was over the top. “We’ve been talking with BCC for about three years but we haven’t been able to get them to see common sense,” he said. “What we want to do is reach an agreement for this charge to be a more reasonable and affordable amount for us and for our customers but BCC just won’t budge. “Unfortunately, to avoid closure, we have to pass this cost onto our riders. “It’s just unfair on the kids and families to have to pay for unreasonable council charges.” Mr Larkins said a Victorian council saw how important it was to get kids off the streets so it spent over $1 million to redevelop an indoor park and now spends over $170 000 each year in recurrent operating costs. “It’s not BCC doing it here in Brisbane. It’s us,” he said. “I can’t understand why BCC want to make it harder for us to do that. “BCC needs to see the mistake they’ve made and reduce the charges.” You can contact the Lord Mayors office on [email protected] to ask them to cut the cost of the planning fees to RampAttak or sign the epeition.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 23:23:02 +0000
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