Park push: The Mooroolbark teens pushing for a skate park in the area are Caleb, Bryce, Lachie and Jackson; behind from left, Nathan, Tyson and Brayden. Picture: Rob Carew
A GROUP of teenagers are testing out just how powerful social media can be by using Facebook to push for a skate park to be built in Mooroolbark.
The page, called 'Get Mooroolbark a skate park', already has 208 'likes' counting as support for the cause since it was created on April 26.
The Mooroolbark teenagers behind the rallying effort say that although the Lilydale skate park is their closest, it is always busy.
They also said it was expensive for them to constantly catch the train to either the Lilydale or Croydon parks.
"We need more activities for young people here," said Tyson Dempsey, 15.
"It's something for kids to do in their spare time instead of playing video games."
The group has four locations for the Mooroolbark skate park in mind but their preference is a bare park on Cardigan Road.
The other sites they think could be appropriate are in Manchester Road, Hookey Park and the community centre at Brice Avenue.
Tyson said the group would arrange a meeting with the Yarra Ranges Council when they got enough page likes and members for their skate crew.
Amenities they want at the park include a quarter pipe, box, half pipe and a street section as well as an undercover seated section.
While they admit they have no idea how much it would cost to build a skate park, Tyson said they were also willing to do some fund-raising to help the council cover costs.
Tyson and his friend Nathan Dickha have been doorknocking around the Cardigan Road park to ask residents if they would mind having a skate park in the area and said the response had been positive. They have also been putting up posters around town trying to garner more support.
"We feel confident but also a bit nervous about approaching the council," Nathan said.
Yarra Ranges Council said they were made aware of the Facebook page last week.
"Council will be reviewing its skate strategy in the coming 12 months and will consider the request from the community for a skate park in Mooroolbark," a council spokeswoman said.
Local ward councillors Terry Avery and Richard Higgins and the council's recreation services and youth services teams said they would be more than happy to meet and discuss the ideas with the group.
There are eight skateboarding/BMX parks in the Yarra Ranges area, including the new park in Mt Evelyn.
Mt Evelyn SK8 was officially opened in January but took nearly a decade to become a reality and cost $200,000 to build.