Slip, sliding away!

Westernport Province MP Geoff Hilton, Cardinia Shire Council youth   services officer Tom Kuster, Port ward councillor Doug Hamilton and mayor Bill Ronald joined keen young skaters and BMX enthusiasts at the opening of the Lang Lang skate park on Friday.Westernport Province MP Geoff Hilton, Cardinia Shire Council youth services officer Tom Kuster, Port ward councillor Doug Hamilton and mayor Bill Ronald joined keen young skaters and BMX enthusiasts at the opening of the Lang Lang skate park on Friday.

LANG LANG young people can swap ‘bored’ for a ‘board’ after the opening of the town’s new skate playground.
The facility, which has already won an enthusiastic following among young skaters, was officially opened last week.
This will be followed next month by the opening of the new Garfield skate playground.
The two new parks were funded through a $137,000 Cardinia Shire Council investment, coupled with a $50,000 grant from Sport and Recreation Victoria.
Planning began after the Cardinia skate strategy identified a clear need for skate facilities in the shire’s townships.
Council officials, residents and keen skaters gathered at the skate park for an afternoon ceremony on Friday.
Mayor Bill Ronald thanked Lang Lang Township Committee and local young people for their help in designing the park as well as the state government for the funding assistance.
“This is an excellent safe location for the park, with good visibility from Westernport Road and a variety of skate elements designed in accordance with what the young people themselves want from a skate park,” he said.
Council officials said the two new parks brought the number of skate parks in Cardinia Shire to six., ensuring young people are never far from a safe, purposebuilt skate facility.
All these parks are free to use and have a variety of activities designed for both maximum safety and versatility.
As well as providing the facilities, Cardinia Shire Council youth services unit also hosts regular skate clinics and events for young people or all ages.
Cardinia’s other skate parks are located at Cockatoo, Gembrook, Kooweerup and Pakenham.