Jim Campbell has probably built one of the world’s most remote skate parks – on Christmas Island, 380 km south of Java and 1,585 km from North West Cape, the nearest point on the Australian mainland. Jim’s company, Skateramps Australia, manufactures the equipment at Hallam in Melbourne’s outer suburbs.
He has delivered his skate ramps to various parts of Australia, but Christmas Island has been the greatest challenge to date. Jim Campbell made a special delivery to the Shire of Christmas Island in May, packing the pieces inside sea containers and personally delivering them to the tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
“I had to redesign the parts to fit into special packaging,” Jim Campbell said.
Once on the Island, the skate ramps were kept secret for two weeks until the official launch on 6 June.
“It was a much needed facility for the young people on Christmas Island,” he said. “They had virtually nothing to keep them occupied.”
The idea for a skate ramp came from a meeting between the Shire’s Youth and Recreation Officer, Asmad Majid, and a local Student Council three years ago.
“It is a project inspired by the youth, for the youth,” Asmad Majid said. “The Shire is endeavouring to generate more activities for Island youth.”
Australian Defence Force personnel based on the Island were recruited to help assemble the skate park out of ten components – a bank ramp, hump ramp, wedge ramp, jump ramp, spine ramp, three quarter pipes, a transition corner and a pyramid. The facility is housed temporarily inside a sports hall until a permanent location can be found. It is open seven days a week to daredevils of all ages, but children under ten must be accompanied by an adult. Already, it has proved very popular with ramp riders on skate boards, rollerblades, BMX bikes and scooters.
For further information contact Jim Campbell, email info@skateramps.com.au, or telephone (03) 5678 8555; or Asmad Majid, email lucy@shire.gov.csc or telephone (08) 9164 8300.
