Arsonists cause £25,000 damage to Basildon skate park (From Echo)

Arsonists cause £25,000 damage to Basildon skate park

6:00pm Friday 19th June 2009 in News By Gina Marden

Wrecked – council officer Terry Simmons and councillor Kevin Blake survey the damage at the Gloucester Park skate park

ARSONISTS have caused £25,000 of damage to a Basildon skate park.

The blaze wrecked the ramps and has forced the complex to close.

Police and councillors condemned the yobs, branding the attack at Gloucester Park deplorable.

Kevin Blake, Basildon councillor responsible for leisure and arts, said: “Vandalism of any kind is unacceptable, but to damage such an important facility in the community is just appalling.

“A great deal of hard work from all sides of the community was put into providing this space for Basildon’s youth, and it has been burnt without a thought for those who use it.

“Any act of vandalism will not be tolerated and we will be working with the police to try to find those responsible.”

Yobs got into the park, which is behind the swimming pool off Broadmayne, Basildon, in the early hours of the morning.

They set fire to the ramp which burned for hours before it was spotted by a passer-by who called 999.

Acting Insp Scott Cannon, from Basildon police, said: “I am completely disgusted a few mindless individuals have caused damage to a place that was funded and built for the local youth.

“The taxpayer now has to fork out for it to be repaired, which is despicable.

“The youths are unfortunately going to miss out on a great piece of equipment while it is being repaired. If you know who did this, tell us so they can face up to what they have done.”

The skate park was opened in July 2005 after the Basildon Concord Rotary Club spent a year raising £150,000 to pay for it.

Witnesses to the arson, which happened in the early hours of Monday, can call Acting Insp Cannon at Basildon police on 0300 3334444, quoting incident number 106 of June 15, 2009.