I am contacting you with reference to providing a decent skate park in Portishead for the teenagers. I know most people think that teenagers are trouble-causers. However I have a teenage son who has an interest in skateboarding, along with a large group

I am contacting you with reference to providing a decent skate park in Portishead for the teenagers. I know most people think that teenagers are trouble-causers. However I have a teenage son who has an interest in skateboarding, along with a large group of his friends, all of whom are decent lads. I have visited various skateboarding parks with my son to watch what goes on and I have never come across a 'thug' at any of them. All seem like very polite young men - I take my toddler with us and the teens always seem to take care around him so as not to hurt him and normally get into conversation with him, this is not what I would imagine a trouble-causer to be like.This weekend we visited Yatton skate park. It was not the biggest skate park I have seen but was ample enough for a group of teens to be kept occupied, so as not to be out there causing trouble. In Portishead, the skateboarding group is trying to find a location to put a park and find the funds for this huge project. I cannot understand why the skate park in Merlin Park isn't just improved and made bigger. There is plenty of space for this to happen and I can't see the expense would be as big as trying to start from scratch. I would be interested to see how much it would cost to improve this area.I would like to see a facility to keep teenagers active - and believe me, from what I have seen, skateboarding is very energetic so therefore a good form of exercise - and out of trouble before 2015 as is being currently predicted for one being opened.If Yatton can do it, why can't Portishead!Deb Jones - Channel View Crescent, Portishead