BUILDERS are getting their skates on to try and make sure a new skating arena in Deane will be ready to open later this month.

The arena -- the first of its kind in Bolton since the Navada was destroyed by fire in 1985 -- will have areas for in-line skating, skate boarding and BMX riding.

Owned by Bones Indoor Skate Parks Ltd, the plush new development at Middlebrook Mill, on Gilnow Lane, Deane, will hopefully open later this month.

And managing director David Rowlinson hopes the arena will take off in a big way and be as successful as the centres they own in Preston and Stockport.

He told the BEN: "work has started on putting up skateboard ramps and there will be different standards and sizes for all age ranges and abilities.

"The building work is going great guns at the moment and we hope to be ready by November 28.

"We've got builders working virtually round the clock at the moment to get things ready. It is a big investment so we want it up and running as soon as possible.

"The ramps are now half built and you really can see the bones of them -- it looks quite spectacular."

Middlebrook Mill provides them with 18,000 sq ft of space to fill in the unit previously occupied by Old Memory Lane Antiques.

Bones have been doing research in the Bolton area over the past two years to try and get something up and running and located the mill around six months ago and managed to get planning permission.

Mr Rowlinson added: "I think it is a much needed resource in the area. Around 600 skaters from Bolton come to our arena in Stockport and it can get very expensive because of the travel involved.

"I am very confident it will take off, mainly because they are popular sports and it will give the young people of the area something useful to do with their time instead of just hanging about on the streets.

"Skating was popular in Bolton before the Navada was destroyed."

The official opening next month will be a massive occasion with DJs, live bands, food and freebies in an all-day party.

The club has a very strict membership programme which helps to prevent trouble.

He said: "600 to 800 people are going through the doors each week in Stockport. We had over 40,000 people through the door in the first year and we only had to ban two people.

"The ramps are all marshalled by fully experienced skaters and they are all trained in first aid should there be an accident.

"It really is an exciting project and can help to clear some of the problems off the streets with kids using their time better."

Despite initial worries, staff at the 3Ds Partnership have greeted the news of the skate park with delight and are about to award a grant of around £18,000 from the 3Ds Business Development Initiative to help upgrade the building.

Steve Partington from the 3Ds Partnership told the BEN: "At first we weren't quite sure about the project because of the possible environmental and industrial effects it would have.

"But one of the conditions of the planning application is they would upgrade the building and provide a car park.

"CCTV and perimeter fence will also be provided which is all good stuff. We now feel the scheme should be of real benefit to the area and it will create 12 jobs, which will hopefully go to local people.

"It's now good to see the positive side after firstly seeing the negative."

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