After many years campaigning from both young people and a number of councillors, work has finally commenced for the new Teen Space and skate park at the People’s Park, Ballymena, and the plans look awesome.
According to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, the new Teen Space will see the creation of a stake park which provides for new riders whilst challenging the experienced.
The idea for a skate park was first raised back in 2006, and at the time a petition was started that garnered more than 2,000 signatures, and one Ballymena councillor has been behind it all the way ever since.
Cllr Beth Adger MBE has advocated for the facility in the town for 16 years now and regularly brought it to the forefront of discussion at the council’s capital works committee meetings.
Cllr Adger is delighted to finally see the start of the new facility for teenagers, and told Love Ballymena:
“Around 16 years ago a group of young people approached me to see if we could get a skateboard park in Ballymena, after 2,000+ names were added to a petition that went around all the schools.
“The petition was handed to the then mayor, Alderman Tommy Nicholl by Tim McKinstry.
“It has been a long time in getting this facility as most of the then teenagers are now parents, and I’m getting too old to do skateboarding!”
The design, developed by ex-pro Skateboarder Marc Churchill from Gravity Skateparks, has created a unique layout that has interlinking features and multi directional items to ensure as the rider become more proficient, new challenges will become available including transfers, gaps and carve lines.
Gravity Skateparks has been designing and engineering innovative freeform concrete Skateparks for communities across the UK since 2002.
The company has put its name on over 200 new concrete Skateparks around the UK and states it’s success on the national skate scene is down to the communities, councils and architects who rely on them to transform their inner cities and open spaces into exhilarating, breathtaking environments.
Ballymena’s new skatepark will feature a mix of street and transition elements with suitable flow between areas, and has three distinct areas:
• Firstly the ‘street section’ with low level equipment re-creating urban architecture, where riders can practice technical tricks.
• Secondly, the faster paced ‘ramp section’ with a Jump box where riders can practice getting air.
• Thirdly the ‘mini section’ featuring bowl elements where riders can practice their transition skills.
The design caters for all of the main disciplines of wheeled sport (skateboard, BMX, scooter and inline) along with disabled access requirements.
The facility has been designed to be suitable for all age and skill levels, inherent within the design is activities and access for young people regardless of their perceived ability.
A spokesperson for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council confirmed that completion is due mid-summer 2022.