Changing the Narrative: The Real Driving Force behind the Skatepark

While I would not want to upset the sad death of Hugh Raymond, it has to be said that the recent obituary in the JEP was misleading, to say the least when it said that as a Deputy, "he was a driving force in the opening of the skate part at Les Quennevais."

In fact nothing could be further from the truth.

It was Steve Pallett, before his resignation - and after - who was the driving force for opening a skate park at les Quennevais. On February 3rd, 2021, Channel 103 reported that:

"There will be a straight shootout in the States Assembly next week on where to build Jersey's main skatepark. The government will ask that it go at South Hill Gardens, rather than Senator Steve Pallett's choice of Les Quennevais Sports Centre."

"A survey to ask islanders which one they'd prefer was launched last month - with 60% of 2,500 respondents backing South Hill. The Assistant Minister with responsibility for Sport, Deputy Hugh Raymond, says they are supporting South Hill because the survey showed a clear preference for the St Helier site."

"If that is agreed, a planning application should be submitted by the end of this month. The government says attention would then turn to creating smaller, satellite facilities in the east and west - including at Les Quennevais."

"However Senator Pallett has told Channel 103 the two sites 'are not equal', even though the study says they are. He's described the chances of getting planning permission to build Jersey's main skatepark at South Hill Gardens are 'slim to zero'. The former Assistant Minister also questioned the sentiment outlined in the survey for South Hill, given that the feasibility study wasn't published when the survey was live.' They didn't base it on having knowledge of the feasibility report and they certainly didn't have the information I think they needed to make any type of judgement on which site was appropriate. In terms of its (South Hill Gardens') heritage and archaeological value, it has been totally underestimated. I think somebody needs to reassess this and maybe decide that actually Les Quennevais is the right site for this before we end up wasting even more money.'"

Steve Pallett put a proposition for the first site to be at Les Quennevais. Hugh Raymond, as Assistant Minister lodged an amendment to make that South Hill - a clear "spoiler". And he said:

"You will see that I have particularly looked at both sites and know both sites very well, and hopefully I have given you a vision as to why we lodged the amendment for the skatepark to be at South Hill."

Overnight, however, counts of votes were done behind the scenes, so when the house reconvened, rather than face a rather nasty defeat, a face saving withdrawal of the amendment took place, at the request of Hugh Raymond.

The opening of the park was delayed until beyond the end of the previous government's term office, largely because work stopped for months because the poor budgeting by that government - as with their resurfacing of Mont Les Vaux - they ran out of money.

So - "a driving force in the opening of the skate part at Les Quennevais." That was surely Senator Steve Pallett, and while Hugh Raymond pursued implementing the plans - although not seeing them to fruition - it was Steve Pallett who had the vision, and who overturned Hugh Raymond's plans for South Hill as the primary site.