ABOUT

Who We Are

PARC is a registered charity (No. 1179147) established in July 2018 by a group of Harpenden parents and grandparents brought together by Matt Stephens, a former Councillor. PARC was initially formed to raise £250 000 to redesign and replace the Town’s flagship playpark, situated in Rothamsted Park. PARC raised £110 000 through their fundraising efforts and with the support of Harpenden Town Council, who pledged a further £150 000, the play area was completed and opened to the public in July 2021.

Following the tremendous success of PARC’s initial project, Matt has stepped down and fellow committee member, Hugh Roberts, is taking the group forward. Working with Harpenden Town Council and taking into account the feedback from the community on what future projects they would like to see delivered in Rothamsted Park, PARC is taking on a new fundraising effort to design and build a replacement skatepark.

About the Park and Skatepark

The skatepark is set in the heart of Harpenden’s Rothamsted Park, adjacent to the recently completed Sports Centre and the Eric Morecambe Centre. The wider park is a much loved and well used green space. It was awarded the Green Flag in 2017/18 but failed to receive the award in subsequent years, in part, due to lack of investment. Harpenden Town Council took ownership of the Park in April 2021 and has made significant investments in improving the park. A 3 year management plan has recently been approved by Committee at HTC and plans for the regeneration of the skatepark are included in the document, set for delivery within the 3 year period.

The existing skatepark is old and in poor condition and offers limited skate value. It is PARC’s vision to install a new concrete skate park that caters for a spectrum of wheeled sports, as well as wheelchair users, and will serve individuals of all skill levels. It will be a facility that is open to all and free to use.

Playpark Action Rothamsted Committee Registered charity number 1179147