Work on Stirling’s exciting new skatepark at Kings Park has started. The current facility will be closed for three months and when it reopens, it’s hoped that the new park will attract young people of all abilities from around the country.
Separate areas for skateboards, roller blades, scooters and BMX bikes will allow many more children to take advantage of the facilities and better provision for spectators means parents can get more involved too.
While the current facility has been a popular feature of King’s Park for many years, it’s no longer fit for purpose and safety concerns led to high community support for a better skating area. Skateboard users, Kings Park Steering Group, the local community council and the Friends of Kings Park formed a Skatepark Development Sub-Group to work with Stirling Council on the project.
The Council also provided funding of £180,000 and an online petition with 713 signatures helped secure additional funding of £100,000 from SportScotland. Stirling Council's Head of Environment Les Goodfellow said: "We are really pleased the funding is now in place to provide a well designed skate park for Stirling. It wouldn't have happened without the dedication of Friends of Kings Park, Kings Park Community Council and the Users Group, who have worked hard to find solutions and involve the wider community throughout the project. We're sure the new skatepark will be a huge success and valued by all its users for years to come.”
Alastair Hair, from the Skatepark Development Sub-Group, says “The project has been running for over three years now and with the help of SportScotland, Stirling Council, the Friends of Kings Park and the Skatepark User Group we have finally been able to secure a modern and fit-for-purpose skatepark facility for Stirling. The anticipation for it finally being built has been huge; the scene in Stirling has been rapidly growing over a number of years to the point where the new skatepark is really deserved in order to help the kids who us it every evening and weekend progress and really fulfill their potential. This is a huge positive step for Stirling in terms of supporting youth development and promoting an active lifestyle and we are looking forward to finally seeing the fruits of our labour in a couple of months time.”
Dorothy Wilson from Friends of Kings Park added: “We are very pleased that with the recently granted Sports Lottery and Council Capital funding the much-needed upgrade to the very well used but outdated facility within Kings Park can now go ahead. This project was identified as a priority for development within Stirling Council’s Master Plan for Kings Park. Representatives from the Users Group have been actively involved throughout the redesign process, working in partnership with Stirling Council and others and remain active participants in this project.”
Some of the key improvements – designed in consultation with users – are:
· Floodlighting
· A large flow bowl on a series of levels to replace the existing peanut bowl
· An improved BMX rhythm section with spine, jump-box and tall quarter pipe
· A two-level street course with handrail, ledges and stairs, utilising the existing concrete pad as a landing area
· A pump bump to replace the existing driveway ramp in the centre of the existing square concrete pad
· New ramps connecting the existing pre-cast concrete half-pipe to the skatepark
· A bowl at the east end of the concrete half-pipe.
· Landscape around the whole park, including bunding which can be utilised as viewing mounds
· Planting around the park (low-level dense hedges) to act as a boundary.
Its unique features mean the park will pack a lot of punch into a relatively small area. It will provide an accessible, sustainable alternative to mainstream sport. Youngsters will be able to enjoy the park for many years, improving their skills over time, and Active Stirling plans to provide taster and coaching sessions. The new design means overall use of the park can continue without disruption.
The benefits will go far beyond fitness; social interaction between young people from different urban and rural areas in the Stirling Council area and beyond will help break down barriers, and crime and antisocial behaviour should decrease.
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