Adelaide’s skateboarding community is “disappointed” with the effort to find a replacement site for the soon-to-be-demolished North Tce skatepark.
This week the Adelaide City Council confirmed a location for a temporary site, located in the south eastern parklands just off Wakefield Road. But SA Skate Space Association representative Andy Walker says skaters will be left with nowhere to go until the new site is ready.
“From our perspective and what we’ve heard, everyone is really disappointed,” he tells Rip It Up.
“Unfortunately things have gone very slowly. With both the temporary and permanent facilities there has been ample time, but a lack of action, which will see us left without both for undetermined amounts of time.
“There [are] hundreds of thousands being spent on a temporary facility, which with better planning could have been avoided all together.”
The temporary space, which will require re-surfacing and obstacle construction, is expected to cost upwards of $300,000 and will be funded by both council and the state government.
Walker says he and the skate community have been liaising with council, however they are yet to receive any communication from the state government “despite many attempts”.
“The Adelaide City Council has liaised with us since they found out the lease on the land was not being renewed,” he says.
“They have worked with us in pursuing a replacement skatepark and the previous Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood went as far as to say the ACC was more than happy to co-contribute to financing the new park, however they would not fund the whole thing as the development was not their decision.”
Walker says he is working with designers to ensure the temporary space would meet the needs of the skate community.
“As users we’ve been engaged on our needs for a while now and I’ll be lobbying the designers hard to make sure even though it’s a temporary space, we make it the best it can possibly be for skaters so we achieve maximum use,” he said.
“The quality of the design will be important to ensure it’s a focus for skaters and to minimise them using other public spaces not necessarily designed purely for skateboarding.”
There is still no confirmation of when the temporary site will open, despite the current site’s closure at the end of this month, and no talk of a permanent solution.
“We have been pushing for a new facility since it has first come to our attention, but to this date there has been no confirmation of a site or a budget allocated,” Walker says, “…and from what we have been told there is no progression on this at this point in time. This leaves a very loose definition of the so called ‘temporary’ skatepark.
“A new park could have been in production, possibly even in place by now with the amount of time everyone has been aware of this situation. It is obvious that the need for this facility has been seen on many occasions. Firstly to build the first stage and again to invest even more into a second stage of the park.”
Planning Minister John Rau said council and government were still looking for a permanent site to replace the North Terrace location long-term.
“This [temporary site] gives the Adelaide skateboarding community some surety and a venue to use while we work with council and the community on a new permanent site,” he said in a statement.
“A design team from State Government and Adelaide City Council will be working closely with the local skater representatives in designing and setting a venue up on Wakefield Rd that is of high quality despite being temporary. It will also allow elements to be tested and trialled for the long-term permanent design.
“While it’s taken longer than we all would have liked we’ve been able to find a space that has some good existing facilities and is right on the edge of the CBD.”
Last year Mr Rau told Rip It Up discussions were underway to find a permanent replacement.
“There will be a new permanent home for skaters, but we have to make sure it is in the right place,” he said back in August.
“The discussion about exact location is continuing, there is more work to be done to assess which is the best location and we need to make sure it fits within the surroundings. The State Government will commit some funding, and I understand the City Council will also contribute and possibly some other sources.”
Where to Now
Lord Mayor Martin Haese also acknowledged the delay in finding a suitable replacement.
“Council is grateful for the skater community’s engagement to get us to this point,” he said in a statement. “I can guarantee people that a lot of work and conversations have been happening behind the scenes between council and state government to get us to today, but I agree with the commentary from the skating community that it’s taken longer than it needed to.
“The skater community adds to the colour and feel of the city so the sooner we have the skate park up and running means we can maintain the positive influences they have on its fabric.”
In the interim, Walker says skaters will have to go elsewhere, including non-purpose sites and parks further out of the city.
“I’m sure there will be a number of places utilised. Skateboarders and BMX riders have always skated and ridden in the streets, so I would assume there will be more people than normal riding in the CBD,” he says.
“There are of course other skateparks around Adelaide, but that will depend on each person’s accessibility to those parks. The ease of public transport to the city is something available to everyone.”
Design and engagement on the new site will start immediately with a construction date to be decided thereafter. The current skatepark on North Terrace will close on February 28 to make way for the new medical precinct and riverbank upgrade.
Image: Andre Castellucci
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