An artist's impression of the new destination skate park planned for the corner of Maunganui and Hull Roads.
Artist impressions of Tauranga’s first destination skate park are hot off the press, with Tauranga City Council approving a community funding package that will ensure an all-purpose facility catering from beginner skaters to aspiring Olympians.
Stand out features of the skate park, to be located at the intersection of Maunganui and Hull Roads in Mount Maunganui, will include a flow bowl, a surf/skate ditch and competition style stairs, and a street skate area.
The total budget for the project is $3,610,081, including external funding of $2,211,217 from TECT ($1,023,000), Lotteries ($528,847), New Zealand Community Trust ($459,370) and Project Tauranga ($200,000). Council’s contribution is $1,398,863.
The preferred design was reached as part of a collaborative process involving Council staff, skate park designer Rich Landscapes and a 24-member community design group including four under 16-year-olds and people from a variety of skating interests, including skateboarding, roller skating, inline skating, BMX and scootering. The design has also been future-proofed, with ability to add more features to the skate park later.
“This is truly a project that has brought the community together, including our young people, our skating community and our community funders, who have seen the vision and have done all they can to make this skate park a reality,” says Community Services General Manager Barbara Dempsey.
“With the funding now secure, we are full steam ahead and hope to get building under way in March-April 2023 for an opening in early 2024.”
The skate park is designed with other park amenities such as landscaping, toilets, seating, drinking fountains, shade sails and a barbecue so it’s a place where people will want to come and stay, as opposed to being purely a technical skatepark for roller users.
“We want people to come and watch the action, as well as get amongst it themselves. We want a facility for the whole family to enjoy, as well as a place to develop our aspiring Olympic skateboarders,” says Barbara.
“We will also be working with mana whenua to incorporate the cultural history, insights and narratives of the area, as well as responding to the surf/skate culture, history and brand.”
The destination skate park project stemmed from community engagement on the Long-term Plan. With existing skate facilities generally small in area and outdated in what they offered users, Council received numerous requests to improve, invest and expand the city’s skating facilities.
“The demand for larger and more modern skating facilities has increased in line with the rising popularity and profile of the sports. Skating also attracts a wide range of demographics, gender, and backgrounds,” says Barbara.
“The new skate park will encourage users to be active, creative and to have fun in a suitable outdoor environment, which will have physical, mental and social benefits for the whole community.”
As well as providing a new destination skate park, skate facilities at Memorial Park have recently been updated and plans are under way to upgrade the skate park at Gordon Spratt Reserve in Pāpāmoa later this year.
For more information about the destination skate park project visit the website www.tauranga.govt.nz/skate