03 Sept, 2022

New City Skate Park open

An Olympic standard skate park is now open to the public, giving skateboarders and all wheeled sport enthusiasts a permanent community facility in the city.

The new public space is a $3.8million joint initiative between the City of Adelaide, the South Australian Government and the Federal Government in Gladys Elphick Park / Narnungga.

The state-of-the-art facility is a street style space, with stair sets, grinding rails, ledges and a large bowl featuring a unique vertical cradle. It also incorporates a designated area for beginners, which includes a mini-bowl, to encourage more families to the area.

Nine floodlights have been installed to enable the new City Skate Park to be safely used at both day and night, while the entire space was sympathetically designed around the existing significant trees in Gladys Elphick Park / Narnungga to provide natural shade cover and valuable greenery.

Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said today’s opening is an important milestone for the city’s skateboarding community.

“This brand-new facility is arguably the best skate park in the country and I have no doubt people will be coming from across Australia and even overseas to have a go,” said the Lord Mayor.

“Skateboarding was an overwhelming success and an entertaining spectacle at the recent Tokyo Olympic Games and Adelaide will now have a world class resource to help talented skateboarders, and maybe even produce a few Olympians.

“We hope Adelaide will be the buzz of the skating world and are excited about the potential to host international competitions in the city.

“This project has been a partnership between the City of Adelaide and the State and Federal Governments to create a new family friendly space, which will encourage budding skateboarders of all abilities to be active in the city.”

South Australian Sport Minister Katrine Hildyard said, “the State Government is committed to providing infrastructure that facilitates and supports people to be active and connected and helps communities to be healthy and safe.

“This City Skate Park will bring people, and particularly young people, together and help improve physical, mental and social wellbeing.

“From Opposition, we campaigned together with the brilliant South Australian skate, scoot, BMX and roller community to ensure the project went ahead. I thank the many passionate leaders in this community who relentlessly spoke up about the need for this skate park and who got involved in its design.

“The City Skate Park has been designed for the benefit of the whole skating community and it will include people of every age, background, gender and ability.

“With skateboarding now an Olympic sport this skate park will provide a training ground for inspired South Australian athletes to hone their skills ahead of Paris 2024. Really thrilled that it is finally open and look forward to seeing people enjoy it, connect through it and grow their skills long into the future.”

South Australian Planning Minister Nick Champion described the new City Skate Park as an “exciting project”.

“We are pleased to have played a part in turning this dream into a reality for the community,” said Minister Champion.

“This facility will not only last the distance and service the community’s budding skateboarders well into the future, it will be a drawcard for national and global events – providing an economic boost for our city.”

The new City Skate Park was designed and constructed by award winning Australian company Convic.

Convic CEO Julius Turanyik said “a skate park of this scale and quality located so close to the Adelaide CBD will enhance the skate culture within the city and provide opportunities for local skaters and young people to continue to improve their skill in a space that is designed and built specifically for them.

“The skatepark is interwoven between mature native trees that provides a recently delivered public space that feels as though it is an established part of the landscape.

“The materials, obstacles and integrated landscape approach will make this space feel different than any other skate park across Australia. We can’t wait to see what tricks go down in this space!”

Following today’s opening, the City of Adelaide is organising a Community Day at the new City Skate Park on Saturday October 8 which will feature skateboarding demonstrations, workshops, food trucks and live music.

Jack Berketa