Published on Wednesday 05 June 2019
On Saturday 8 June, the new state-of-the-art Arena Skate Park at the Two Riversmeet Leisure Complex in Christchurch will be officially opened by Alex Decunha, one of the five skateboarding hopefuls for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The skate park, which has undergone a ten-week refurbishment, has been transformed to include concrete ramps, a quarter pipe, floating ledge and flat bank. After the official opening, a Skate Jam will be held from 12-4pm, with people invited to bring their wheels, helmets and pads to enjoy the new facilities.
Community engagement was a key part of the refurbishment process, with more than 40 local skaters attending a session to fine tune the design supplied by our chosen designers Maverick. The skaters shared their thoughts and ideas to help shape the design of this cutting-edge skate park.
Councillor Lewis Allison, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Leisure and Communities commented "It’s great to see the refurbishment of this popular outdoor facility. Engagement with the local community in the initial design stage has ensured Arena Skate Park caters for the people who will be using it, both now and in the future. It provides an innovative recreational environment and encourages a healthy lifestyle for skaters of all ages.
"With skateboarding becoming an Olympic sport in 2020, we are pleased that Arena Skate Park will be catering for a sport that continues to grow in popularity."
Rebecca Whelan-Edmonds, Community and Recreation Officer at BCP Council who has overseen the project from the beginning commented "The skate park project has been a real joy to work on, the team at Maverick have exceeded our expectations with their design and installation of the new site and we are now looking forward to seeing this engaging facility become a vital part of our local community offering."
The improvements to the skate park are part of the wider Christchurch Play Project, which has seen £1.2 million invested into local playgrounds, with a total of 15 play area sites across Christchurch undergoing a refurbishment or complete renewal, to maximise usage of the sites and ensure a lasting legacy for future generations.
The sites include the refurbishment at Mudeford Recreation Ground which reopened last week, Highcliffe Recreation Ground and Mudeford Quay. Barrack Road Recreation Ground will also see new fitness equipment installed.
For more information on Arena Skatepark and the Skate Jam, please visit https://www.facebook.com/2riversmeetarena