An £8,000 project has been completed to revamp a Cumbrian skatepark.
The Penrith skatepark was an anti-social behaviour hotspot and the project aimed to give young people ownership of the site and a sense of pride.
Previously, the area had attracted issues including obscene graffiti, arson, litter, fly-tipping, assaults, drug and alcohol use and poor behaviour.
An engagement week was held in the spring and around 400 young people took part in street art workshops, which encouraged the sharing of ideas.
Street artists Dave and Lily, of DVision Art, provided lessons on spray painting, supported by youth work practitioners The Outside Club.
Young people were also given the opportunity to decorate an empty spray can with their own designs.
Using the designs produced during the engagement week, the street artists and local partners developed draft ideas for the main community painting event.
The painting took place over the first three days of the school summer holidays. Starting with children aged seven to 10 on Saturday, July 16, participants painted the bigger shapes, background filling and simpler designs.
On Sunday, July 17, 10 to 13-year-olds tackled more complex designs and built on the previous day’s work.
On Monday July 20, young people aged 13 and over continued to layer the designs with the most complex artwork and detailed painting.
Dave and Lily then spent three days working with invited young people to complete the project.
The £8,000 project funding included £5,350 from an application to the Home Office from the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Operation Enhance and £1,900 from the Penrith Place Action Group.
A further £500 was gained from local elected member donations and £250 from Cumbria Police Cadets from their own fundraising.
Rich Scoffham, Eden local focus hub manager at Westmorland and Furness Council, created and led the project.
He said: “The idea for this project originated from the previous pop-up pump track events I had run in Penrith, during which I was inundated by positive messages about Penrith’s young people, including how they had displayed a real sense of pride of the pop-up track, while being very supportive and inclusive.
“I wanted to look for something similar that could be done with Penrith Skate Park, somewhere which has previously been an anti-social behaviour hotspot.
“From discussions with Eden Valley Artistic Network, the idea of Penrith Street Art Project was born.
“It has been an absolutely pleasure to have brought this project from a simple idea, though the process of funding, running the community engagement and design week and then participating and completing in the painting of the park.
“A heartfelt thank you to our funders and additional thanks to JT Aktinson Builders Merchants, who, having visited the painting event, donated exterior boards and paint.
“These have now been erected at the skate park so young people who feel inspired by this project can have a go at street art, without damaging the artwork on the actual skate park, or on other nearby buildings.
“Lastly, a thank you to the hundreds of young people and adults who took part in the community engagement and design week in May, and the community painting days, I hope you enjoy riding the newly decorated skate park.”
