A NEW skate park at King George V Playing Field in Melksham will be officially opened on Saturday ahead of the final of the Wiltshire Skate Series.

Cllr John Thomson, the Wiltshire Council deputy leader and cabinet member for campuses and leisure services, and local professional skateboarder James Threlfall, will open the Melksham Fifth Skate Park.

After the opening at 11.30am, the Skate Park will host the final of the Wiltshire Skate Series for this year. The previous three rounds have been held throughout the county.

Competitions will take place throughout the day in BMX, skateboard, scooter and inline skating, set to the backdrop of a live DJ. Around 60 people, aged between 13 and 25, are expected to attend the event.

With four events at different skate parks across the county, the Wiltshire Skate Series encourages volunteering among young people, with judges, skate marshals, DJs and helpers all giving up their time free of charge to ensure the success of the events.

The youth-led model ensures that the project stays current and relevant, which in turn ensures the success and attendance of the events.

The skate park cost around £178,000 to build. Work started in April and finished in August. It was carried out by Canvas Spaces.

The park has been designed to cater for younger skaters and beginners through to more advanced skaters, offering a challenging environment, for all levels.

Wiltshire Skate Series events have been held in Devizes (Green Lane), Calne, Salisbury and finally in Melksham. Entry is free.

The skate series is led by the young people and professional skater James Threlfall, and is part of the council’s StreetGames programme.

Wiltshire Council’s investment of almost £10 million so far in Melksham includes the recently-opened Oakfields a state of the art football and rugby facility at Woolmore Farm.

The council has also spent around £500,000 to create an improved Market Place which is nearing a redevelopment completion, and a new £320,000 cricket pavilion which will be shared with the tennis club.

Plans are also being developed for the provision of a new health and wellbeing centre on the Melksham House site, which will provide a range of services including leisure, a library and a new GP surgery.