Councillors unanimously voted to allocate funds to upgrade the complex in West Ulladulla at meeting on Tuesday, February 27.

Due to surface damage at the skate park, council will undertake urgent repairs to make sure users are not at “undue risk” 

Brent Johnstone, who skates and rides a BMX at the park, spoke at the meeting and said he had used the facility for 20 years. 

“It's been slowly degrading, it needs a few upgrades and extensions,” he said. 

“It is used by 5 year olds to 40 year olds. Between 10 to 50 people use it every day.” 

Mr Johnstone said when the park was first built it was “five star”, but now needed to be upgraded. 

“It was one of the best in Australia, and the world at the time,” he said. 

“An extension will minimise the entry of kids breaking into schools to trying and skate on things.” 

Kiarn Roughley, who is 18 years old and skates at the park regularly, said it was the facility was more than just ramps. 

“It offers us a support crew,” he said. 

“It's about the community down there; the family you develop.

“It's a mentoring environment with the little kids.” 

However, he said it would be a 10-minute wait at times to get a go. 

Mr Roughly said the park had concrete erosion, with some rendering it “unusable” because of the risk of injury. Both users said they wanted to have an input into the design of the upgraded facility. 

“This will be funded from the balance of the funds in this year’s council’s skate park budget,” council papers state. 

“In order to advance the future upgrade of the facility a councillor briefing will be held so that councillors can understand budget options and project requirements.

“It is intended that this facility will be upgraded and that the community will be involved in any future design.”

Skating will in 2020 become an Olympic sport when the games are held in Tokyo, Japan. 

Councillor Mitchell Pakes said: “A kid from Culburra said, ‘a skate park is kinda like a men's shed for kids’.