THE OPENING of a £150,000 skate park is hoped to help stamp out antisocial behaviour problems plaguing Bicester.

The gates opened to the new skate park in Garth Park on Friday after four years of lobbying from residents for the rebuild.

Fears for safety in the old 'dilapidated' and 'dangerous' skate park prompted calls for the update and anti-social behaviour in the town centre backed up the need.

Read again: Bicester Skate Park to be revamped after funds for replacement fall short

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Another rider Ben Cox on the BMX

PC Vicky Lees, who spearheaded the project, said: “I have received awesome feedback from the community, particularly the young people and this means everything to me. All the hard-work has paid off.

“This project has showed great community spirit and just what can be achieved by working together.”

The officer got involved in 2015 after a rise in reports of BMX riders and skateboarders causing disturbances in the town centre – a problem that has raised its head again recently among other antisocial behaviour.

Another rider Aaron Wright, 16, gets to grips with the new skatepark

PC Lees said several young adults told her of the sorry state of the former skate park and how they had little to do in the town centre.

She then encouraged the group to lobby councillors for improvements and together with skate park users and local councillors has successful turned the idea from a pipe dream to a reality created by skate park firm Freestyle.

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It was funded by skate park users collecting money at community events alongside funds from Bicester Town Council and Cherwell District Council through developer contributions, and Sport England.

Among the fundraisers was skate park user Tye Nicholas, 17, who said: “It is way better and a whole lot safer.

"It now suits a wide range of people from beginners to the more progressed – it is the best design we have seen through the whole process.”

He added: “It makes us feel like we have a voice in the community and makes it all worthwhile.

“It has been nice to see all kinds of people using it now, including some people who haven’t been here for years."

Aaron Wright, 16, added: “The ramps are much better quality and the overall skate park is a vast improvement. It is a pleasure to ride here now.”

The skatepark was shut completely for the works in October, and in recent months antisocial behaviour has plagued Bicester's town centre. This included problems in Bicester Library, outside shops as well as vandals taking to the new skate park part-way through the build with a pickaxe.

Read again: Police warn of 'robust' action against Bicester skatepark vandals

Another skate park user Marcus Keeys, 16, said: “It is a lot better than what it was, and a lot safer. The last skate park had so many cracks which made it dangerous.

“The old park was good for tricks but because it was so old and worn it was dangerous and unreliable.

“It makes everyone a lot happier as the skate park was where everyone would hang out and would stop the bad behaviour elsewhere in the town. Hopefully the new skatepark will give people something to do again and help cut back on it [anti-social behaviour].”

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Also involved in the project was deputy town mayor Jason Slaymaker who said it has completely transformed the site 'for a new generation'.

He added: "The town council has really enjoyed working with PC Lees, the young people and our other partners to get this project off the ground.

“This project has been a real community effort – the young people involved are a credit to the town."