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Council provides Parkour facility for London

  • 13-07-2010 10:11am
    #1
    Rinker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 236 ✭✭


    United Kingdom’s first-purpose built parkour facility announced

    www.westminster.gov.uk www.parkouruk.org
    The UK's first purpose-built outdoor managed parkour facility is set to be built in the heart of London, Westminster Council has announced. The site aims to mimic an urban landscape and will contain dozens of objects commonly found in a real city environment including walls, rails and stairs that parkour or freerunning practitioners can use to practice their sport within a safe and dedicated environment.

    Parkour, which is featured in the opening scenes of the James Bond film, Casino Royale, consists of finding new ways through the city landscape by scaling walls, jumping down steps, vaulting obstacles and running across buildings. But unlike many other street sports, there are currently no dedicated parkour facilities in the UK and instead practitioners use areas including parks, playgrounds, housing estates and even abandoned structures. This has led to concerns regarding trespassing, and damage to both themselves and the property used. The new parkour facility, which will be based at Westminster Academy in Westbourne Green, will feature obstacles for individuals of all abilities and ages and at its heart will showcase an 80 metre free flow area where practitioners can combine a range of moves and test their skills to the limit. Users can either prove their competence to qualified instructors from Parkour UK in order to use the facility unsupervised, or attend classes which will run at least five nights a week in addition to classes for schools. Anyone over the age of eight can attend the classes. Up to 100 people can use the facility at any time with the maximum capacity of the junior area being 60 people with 40 allowed in the more advanced area.

    Councillor Steve Summers, Westminster council's cabinet member for community services said: "Parkour continues to grow in popularity and I'm delighted that we are able to lead the way in providing the country's first site for our residents and visitors to enjoy. This will also provide a great way to get people motivated and enthusiastic about the sport while also engaging young people in a fun and physical activity that can also help to build their self-confidence."
    Westminster has invested £90,000 in the facility and London Marathon Trust £80,000. Building work will begin in October this year and it is expected to be completed by January 2011.

    Above article taken from Ifpra newsletter.

    Does anyone think we'll ever see one in Dublin?


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