New skate plaza design revealed

The design of Flaxmere’s new skate plaza has been unveiled – and the artist’s impressions look fantastic!

The concepts were developed after consultation with more than 200 skateboarders, scooterers, school students, parents and Flaxmere residents.

Closely involved was a working group made up of students from each of the schools in Flaxmere. They canvassed wider groups of students on everything from the jumps and ramps, to safety, artwork and seating, then worked with top Kiwi skate facility designer Richard Smith on how the plaza would look and function. ‘Skater-dads’ were also integral to the design process.

The designs are now up on display in Flaxmere Park, in the foyer of the Flaxmere Community Centre, and on social media.

Just before the designs went public, the student working group was treated to a ‘sneak peak’ in Council chambers.

They were more than happy. A chorus of ‘awesomes’ followed their first look at the 3D video presentation.

Irongate School’s Arkyss Ngarotata, 13, said the students could clearly see the impact of their input. “It was a thrill to see what the new skatepark will look like and see how the planning we did is part of that.”

High on the list of the working group’s priorities was that the skate plaza reflect Flaxmere’s culture so a group of local artists has been invited to work together on the art work. That process will be ongoing over the next few months, ahead of an expected start on construction mid-next year.

The skate plaza site, in Flaxmere Park on the corner of Henderson Rd and Swansea Rd, was selected for its high visibility (a proven deterrent to anti-social behaviour), and its proximity to the playground, public toilets and drinking fountain. Public consultation confirmed that it was the most popular site for the facility.

The new skate plaza replaces the existing skate bowl behind Flaxmere Village, which is being removed to make way for residential and commercial development.

29 October 2021

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