PLANS to improve Camelford’s Old Cattle Market site, with the addition of youth facilities and services, will be realised thanks to secured funding.

The OCM Regeneration Project was announced by Camelford Town Council on Friday, February 28 after confirmation of funding needed to carry out the project.

The venture will be a huge, five-year project worth around £300,000, with the capital regeneration monies raised from grant funding.

Funds will be provided by Reaching Communities Big Lottery Grant, Sport England and Saputo.

Phase 1 of the project — the construction of the OCM Skatepark — was completed in 2018, providing a new and exciting facility for Camelford’s young people.

A consultation will now take place in the spring to finalise the designs for phase 2, which currently look to include improved skating and riding space, extra low boxes for skates and skooters, a parkour area, a multi-ball games area, outside gym equipment, community community gardens and a cafe and youth hub.

Camelford Town Council will go out to tender for the cafe, which will be in the form of a converted container unit.

In addition, the town council have now secured funding to provide a youth outreach worker. It is hoped whoever runs the new cafe will take on the OCM Skatepark Club, delivering youth work to those in the local area.

Mayor of Camelford, Claire Hewlett, is delighted with the news.

She said: “It’s wonderful news. It’s great for the young people of the town — and the not so young if they’d like to give it a go! Funding for a youth worker is fantastic, events and training can be organised for the skaters and it can start to become a real hub for our young people.

“Skateboarding makes its Olympic debut later this year in Tokyo and we’re expecting a growing interest in the sport following that event. Who knows, a future Olympic champion could start their journey at OCM!

“Camelford Town Council have an amazing team of staff and this couldn’t have happened without their dedication and determination. Putting funding together is never plain sailing — there are always hurdles to jump. Thanks to our wonderful staff for their hard work getting everything in place so that the applications succeeded.”