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A woman who has longed to learn to skate since she was a child has sparked fresh calls for a town to have its own ice rink.
More than 165 people have backed the idea of bringing a facility to Ashford, which is currently 30 miles away from Kent’s only permanent ice rink, Planet Ice in Gillingham.
The petition was started by Sarah Vince, who has loved ice skating ever since watching Olympic champions Torvill and Dean perform when she was little.
But growing up in Tenterden, Miss Vince says she was “hindered” from learning as the only local facility was too far for the family to travel to.
Now at the age of 45 and living in Kingsnorth, Ashford, Miss Vince has made it her New Year's resolution to learn to skate and is taking lessons in Gillingham.
But having an ice rink closer to home is something she feels is desperately needed to help unlock access to the sport which is so limited in the county.
Miss Vince, an admissions officer at Earlscliffe boarding school in Folkestone, said: “Now I have taken it up, I wish I had learnt it from a younger age.
“It is a 40-minute trip to Gillingham so it would be so nice to have that facility much closer.
“With all the development in Ashford, I think they've got to put in the services and the facilities so people have things to do.
“We got two cinemas and a bowling alley, but that’s it.
“We've got gyms, but that can become very expensive and skating would be perfect for people of all ages.”
In a bid to make her dream a reality, Miss Vince started the petition in January and has been surprised by the positive response it has received. A total 170 people have signed it.
She says land in Leacon Road would be ideal for the venue.
“There's a great spot for an ice rink right by Matalan,” she explained. “It’s a flat bit of land that's just about the right size.
“The facility really is needed and it looks like from online that a lot of people agree with me.
“All of the comments have been generally quite positive which just shows that people want that kind of facility in Ashford.
“There are people who say Ashford is rubbish and never gets anything, but you don't know if you don't try.”
Ann Quarterman is among those to sign up, and said: "Ashford is now a large town with an ever-increasing population. It needs leisure facilities."
Karen Jackson commented saying an ice rink would “boost the economy” and “provide health and social benefits” to residents in Ashford adding: "There are no social activity places in Ashford, and I believe the town would benefit greatly.
"At the moment we only have a cinema and the Outlet to be of interest to visitors.”
Supporter Amy Nash said: “An ice rink in Ashford would be a fantastic resource for children and adults of all ages.”
Bluewater Shopping Centre in Greenhithe also has an ice rink, but it is only open seasonally and will not be back until the end of the year.
The idea of bringing an ice rink to Ashford has been discussed for years but nothing has ever come to fruition.
In 2008 a temporary rink was set up outside the Panorama flats as part of Ashford Winter festival celebrating the completion of the ring road works.
But it was only place for seven weeks.
In 2016, the idea was again teased as part of plans to overhaul Victoria Park.
At the time, Ashford Borough Council (ABC) produced a draft masterplan for the space that included an open area that could be used as a temporary outdoor cinema, an ice rink plus fairs or outdoor activities such as archery.
But nearly 10 years on this has never come forward.
Once she has collected enough signatures, Miss Vince is hoping to take the petition to ABC to see if she can gain support from councillors.
A spokesman for ABC said: “We would welcome any company bringing forward plans to invest in developing an ice rink in the borough, to add to the existing wide range of leisure facilities provided by both the council and other operators across Ashford.”