Wheels in motion for Antrim skate park as Council backs plans
- Michelle Weir (Local Democracy Reporter)
- Jul 9
- 2 min read
The development of an urban skate park in Antrim has taken a step forward after councillors agreed to place the project on the borough council’s capital programme.
The decision was approved behind closed doors at last month’s meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Operations Committee.
A new skate park has been earmarked for a site at Antrim Forum through the next phase of PEACEPLUS funding.
The PEACEPLUS Programme is a €1.1bn cross-border funding programme created to “strengthen peace and prosperity within and between the border counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland”.
Overall, the council has secured £4.4m to deliver programmes and projects locally until December 2028.
A report to the Operations Committee said:
“Council’s PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan included a proposal for the development of an urban skate park at the Antrim Forum.”
It indicated that it is to be located on the site of the existing play park.
According to a recent council audit, this play park has been recommended for replacement as its equipment has “reached the end of its usable life”. The report also noted that a “large and modern play park is located nearby at Antrim Loughshore”.
It was proposed the development of an urban skate park at Antrim Forum would be fully funded through PEACEPLUS funding at an undisclosed cost and a public consultation would be carried out to help inform the design of the skate park.
‘Skate 100’, one of the UK’s largest skate parks, was opened by the council at the V36 site beside the Valley Leisure Centre, Newtownabbey, in May 2022.
The 14,000 sq ft facility is suitable for skateboards, scooters, in-line skaters, Parkour and BMX freestyle. At the time, there were calls for a similar skate park in Antrim.
This facility was developed at a cost of £0.75m, of which £145,882 was provided through the Special European Union Programmes Body and the remainder by match-funding provided by The Executive Office, Northern Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development, Ireland.
