ALL too often we decry the youth of today. They won't do anything for themselves, they hang around on street corners making a nuisance of themselves, they think the world owes them a living....blah, blah blah.

Well, pity some of the enterprising youths of our district, who do try to help themselves. No wonder they feel that red tape and pointless rules thwart them at every turn.

In both Skipton and Barnoldswick skating is the "in thing" and has been for some time. The trouble is that there is nowhere for the youngsters to practice their hobby save on the streets. That rightly annoys the general public and is a danger to themselves and others.

So when youngsters in both towns actually got off their backside, formed committees and started fund raising to provide skating facilities, they probably thought that with guidance they would soon be able to skate in peace on proper facilities. Wrong!

In Barnoldswick the area covered by a proposed skating arena is deemed too big for Sough Park.

In Skipton the youngsters' hopes of a sight off Shortbank Road were thwarted by objections from residents, so, like any new facility in Skipton it seems, Aireville Park became the chosen spot. The drawback with this is that Aireville is far from central. It lies in the extreme west of the town, when the majority of youngsters wanting to use it live in the east. But even this option was closed when it came up before a committee meeting of Craven District Council. For some rather woolly reasons, which we find hard to fathom, the youngsters' dream was dashed.

That committee decision could be reversed at the full meeting of the council on Tuesday. So far the initiative, drive and patience of these youths has met with delay, opposition and disillusionment. Somewhere in Skipton has to be found for our younger citizens.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.