Sir,

I read with dismay the letter from 'name and address supplied' about the skate park in Tenby.

I can only assume that the person responsible for the letter is too old to remember what it is like to be young and active.

No doubt he/she is old enough at least to possess the wherewithal to go anywhere they like, having both funds and means of pursuing anything they are interested in.

In view of the fact that they claim to have some experience of skate parks, I assume they are not from round here?

Clearly they have not been privy over the years to the many letters and articles that have appeared in this very newspaper pursuing the idea of the park and problems of running it, the enthusiastic hard working volunteers who devoted a great deal of time to getting one, all to no avail thus far, the dismissal by PCNP of the skate park being a passing fad, the letters from disgruntled people complaining about skaters, skateboarders, mini motor bikes and stunt bikers, not only here in Tenby, but also Saundersfoot.

Does this person ever go out in the evening or weekends? If they did, they would indeed see whole hosts of frustrated young people, many with a range of wheeled devices who have already tried to pursue their various sporting interests in the harbour, in the multi-storey car park, in the parks, on the playing fields.

It seems they are welcome nowhere. We may have access to a variety of water sports, but they are not everyone's choice or indeed available all times of the year and other than that there is very little to offer young people here.

The youth club does a wonderful job, but is struggling to obtain funding to open extra days during the week, meanwhile we look forward to the prospect of a £750,000 enhancement project of Tudor Square, not designed around the needs of the local population, but aimed primarily at the tourist market.

We need to get our priorities right. If young people are out and about doing something or nothing at all they are a nuisance, if they are at home and watching TV or playing on the computer, they're a health risk? Let's face it, they can't win.

These parks nowadays are not just for skaters, but also for skateboarders and stunt bikes, and anyone who has ever visited one will know that the people who use them demonstrate an amazing and fantastic array of skills, daring and agility.

They are then, also the people who need to be consulted all the way along about design and use, and actively encouraged to have ownership and a managerial role in running them.

These young people don't deserve to be portrayed as a group of ne'er do wells as implied in 'name and address supplied' s letter.

Although his/her lovely unspoilt town is probably going to be considerably quieter in years to come if things carry on the way they are going, which no doubt will suit him/her.

A magnet for retirees and temporary occupiers of luxury flats as the local young people continue to be priced out of their own town.

Diminishing prospects of year round work, recession, terrorism, a life of debt if they've been to college, and don't forget the Assembly in their wisdom is cutting funding for higher education, plus they are going to have to look after us. Yes, we are leaving them a world in a terrible state, much worse than the world left to us.

Please let's find them a place in this town. What about altering the car parking at the Greenhill centre? It is a publicly owned site isn't it? Clearing some trees, it backs onto the railway, the back car park is really quite enclosed and it could link with the youth club - which needs to be open all week with the team there being paid a proper wage!

Marion Davies,

Tenby.