Shellharbour council has revealed the final designs for its long-awaited upgrade of the “out of date” and hazardous skate park in Shellharbour Village.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
At Tuesday night’s meeting, councillors welcomed plans for the overhaul in Pioneer Park, which will replace the ageing and cracked skate park built on unused tennis courts.
According to the plans by specialist skate park designers Convic, it has been designed as a “multi-generational” park, and will become a key social hub for young people in Shellharbour and the broader Illawarra region.
Additionally, the prominent site will “become an entry statement to the village forming a highly activated corner’ lifting the profile of the youth community”, the plans said.
The new park will include 20 different types of skate features and will be designed to cater mainly to skateboarders with “intermediate and advanced” skill levels.
However, it will also be able to be used by beginners, scooter and BMX riders, roller skaters and “all other active wheeled sport disciplines”. Infrastructure for spectators will include lighting, drinking fountains, art installations, BBQ facilities and bins.
Read more: Shellharbour’s ‘Taj Mahal of skate parks’
Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba said the city’s “young ones” had been very pleased with the design for the new park after being involved with discussions for its designs.
“I think we should move ahead with this project as soon as possible,” she said.
Councillor Helen Stewart said she was pleased to see the Shellharbour park upgrade, but said young people in other areas felt they were missing out.
“I can say from good authority that there’s a lot of rumblings in Oak Flats as to why they haven’t had the opportunity for a skate park,” she said.
“There’s a feeling in Oak Flats that they weren’t consulted. They feel they’ve been left out.”
Before it can be built, the council will need to lodge a development application. If approved, the project would be put out to tender in the 2017/18 financial year.
The park will be funded from the 2017/18 budget.