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Workers missing and councils say contractors not communicating as Bishop's Stortford's new skate park delayed yet again




Construction workers building the new skate park in Bishop's Stortford have disappeared – and councils are concerned that the contractor is not responding to their communications.

The project to revamp the popular facility – part of the £3.5m Castle Park revamp of Sworder's Field and Castle Gardens – has been beset with problems since work by contractor The Freestyle Collective finally began, albeit briefly, in May.

Now a joint statement issued by East Herts Council and Bishop's Stortford Town Council on Friday (August 19) reveals that monitoring of the work has made them aware that "little or no work has been carried out in recent weeks".

The skate park on Tuesday - still no work being carried out (58820065)
The skate park on Tuesday - still no work being carried out (58820065)

It added: "As a matter of urgency, we are doing all we can to establish why the contractors are not on site and why they are not responding to any of our communications."

Earlier this month the town council issued a statement via Facebook outlining the reasons for the delayin completing the project by the end of July.

This was clarified on Friday when the councils said "during initial exploratory excavations, the contractors discovered the original facility only had partial foundations, along with drainage issues".

The skate park on Tuesday - still no work being carried out (58820071)
The skate park on Tuesday - still no work being carried out (58820071)

The statement continued: "Work was suspended temporarily while these issues were investigated. The problems were rectified and works recommenced at the end of June with a new completion date set for September 2022."

The town council posted a comment on the Bishop's Stortford Civic Federation Facebook group on Monday emphasising the efforts made to contact the contractors.

The comment, which corrected an erroneous report from another media outlet that the works would still be completed in September, stated: "The contractors have not responded, and the council can’t make people respond if they do not answer phone, email or letter. We are still trying to establish why and are taking other appropriate actions in parallel."

The council also indicated that the skate park's users were keen not to delay restarting the works until after the summer holidays after the hold-up caused by drainage and foundation issues, and the contractors had said they were also keen and would have their "best team" available.

The latest delay to the project, which was mooted back in 2019 and which was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic, has left skaters angry and frustrated.

Last year, after the latest stalling of the project, youngsters daubed graffiti on the ramp asking: "Where's our new skate park? We're still waiting."

Graffiti from a disgruntled skater at the skate park on Sworder's Field (58818511)
Graffiti from a disgruntled skater at the skate park on Sworder's Field (58818511)

Luke Stokoe, who has been consulted on the design of the park, said the latest setback was "beyond a joke".

He told the Indie on Monday: "Freestyle was never our preferred choice. We didn't want them to build it as we felt they did the Stansted one wrong.

"Everyone is asking me what's happening, but I don't know what to believe any more."

The Indie tried to contact The Freestyle Collective, but it failed to answer the phone number posted on its website.

Scooter rider Luke Stokoe says the latest development is "beyond a joke". Pic: Vikki Lince. (58818398)
Scooter rider Luke Stokoe says the latest development is "beyond a joke". Pic: Vikki Lince. (58818398)

Meanwhile archaeological assessments began last week and the tennis courts in Castle Gardens were closed on Monday (August 22) in advance of the arrival of contractors Harrisons, Ryebridge and PGSD working on that end of the castle Park project.

For further information about the Castle Park project, visit www.eastherts.gov.uk/castle-park. Anyone with concerns or questions about temporary changes during construction should call 01279 655261.



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