Edenvale Skate Park – a place to express yourself

Skateboarder of 15 years and an unofficial representative of the Edenvale Skate Park, Mr Mark Tromp feels strongly about skateboarders having a place to express themselves and to stay out of trouble in Edenvale.

This comes after news of the looming closure of the skate park at the Stoneridge Centre.

“We can confirm the expiry of the lease where the skate park currently stands. The tenant elected, in its sole discretion, not to renew its lease,” said Mr Usman Aly, media director of the Stoneridge Shopping Centre.

Mr Tromp said the Edenvale Skate Park is one of the best in the East Rand, if not Gauteng and he hopes to see it around for years to come.

Mr Tromp said he became involved at the Edenvale Skate Park when he first went to it 10 years ago and noticed a pile of burnt items at the skate park.

He said members of the Edenvale community had burnt the belongings of some of the vagrants who were staying at the skate park at the time and left the mess at the park.

“I really felt that it wasn’t cool to do that to people so I started sweeping up the burnt items and tried to improve the overall image of the park,” said Mr Tromp.

He said that first step to neaten up the skate park led to him caring more about the skate park and to ensuring skaters had a place to skate.

“It is because of the action I took that I became an unofficial representative,” said Mr Tromp.

“Skaters often feel they do not fit in. At the skate park they are able to make friends and enjoy themselves. Skaters need a demarcated area in which they can meet similar people and express themselves,” said Mr Tromp.

Mr Tromp said having seen the impact of the closure of a skate park in Benoni first hand, he does not want the same to happen to the Edenvale Skate Park.

He said if skaters have no place to skate they will lose interest in the sport or begin skating in towns and parking lots where they shouldn’t skate.

“I really don’t want to see skaters thrown to the street,” said Mr Tromp.

“The Edenvale Skate Park is open to anyone who wants to try the sport or who is involved in skating. It is currently the best open skate park I know of,” said Mr Tromp.

Mr Tromp said when skaters feel a new addition needs to be added onto the park they do it themselves, or a few of the skaters come together to look for sponsors.

He said the park is popular and all the skaters who use it care about it.

He said there can easily be 30 to 40 skaters in the park at a time over the weekend. This number includes both local skaters and people from other areas.

“It is so popular because there are less regulations here and skaters can express themselves freely,” said Mr Tromp

He said the skate park has even seen a visit from internationally known skater, Tony Hawk as well as had music videos of the band Miagii shot at the park.

Councillor Heather Hart of ward 18 said the Edenvale Skate Park has existed for as long as she can remember.

She said she became involved in the park 11 years ago and is hoping to improve it.

“The Edenvale Skate Park is important to members of the community as it is one of the few places in the town which gives youngsters the opportunity to let off steam,” said Clr Hart.

She said it is fantastic that that there are still people who care about it.

“Anyone is welcome to come to the skate park and have a good time. People must have fun and express themselves, they must just not act too much like hooligans at the park,” said Mr Tromp.

The NEWS made several attempts to contact the representatives from the skate park at Stoneridge for comment but to no avail.

Watch Mr Tromp skate around the Edenvale Skate Park: