JERSEY’S extreme-sports community celebrated yesterday as construction started on a new skatepark at Les Quennevais – a project that has been years in the making.
The 2,000sqm facility is scheduled to take almost six months to complete and is expected to be built by 15 July.
Plans for the park were approved unanimously by the Planning Committee at the end of last year and a French firm that specialises in skateparks, Constructo Skatepark Architecture, has been chosen to design the facility, which is set to include a bowl, rails, benches, ledges and platforms.
Local construction company Brenwal Ltd will have overall responsibility for the building of the park and will be supported by Latvian company Mind Work Ramps, which has been subcontracted to undertake the specialist works.
Skaters have lobbied for a new facility since 2018, when the New North Quay skatepark was temporarily closed.
Islander Katherine Heddercott said that her son Jesse (11) and daughter Daisy Blu (10) were ‘absolutely buzzing’ at the prospect of having a new skating facility.
She added: ‘Jesse said he would help dig with his bare hands, he is that keen for it to get built. He is hoping to go to the park before and after school. He has already got a backpack which can fit his skateboard.
‘They have got a great group of friends that are into surfing and skating and they spend so much time together in the sea and at the park. This facility can be a great hub for them to hang out and skate together. Fingers crossed that it is ready in time for the summer holidays.’
Karl Payne, chairman of the Jersey Skateparks Association, said: ‘This is a massive win for the skating community. We have been calling for a new facility for a number of years and we have never had a park of this standard. This is going to be a state-of-the-art facility and will hopefully rival the standard of parks that are seen across Europe.’
He added: ‘Hopefully this facility will enhance the level of skateboarding talent we have across all ages in the Island and help us develop some great skateboarding athletes.’
Proposals for a similar facility at South Hill were lodged last year. However, the application for the site is yet to be formally registered on the Planning website.
Mr Payne continued: ‘We are called the Skateparks Association for a reason. This is a win for us but it is only the start.
‘The next one we would like to see built is a facility in town and eventually we want to see something in every parish.’
Assistant Economic Development Minister Hugh Raymond, who holds political responsibility for sport, said: ‘It is great news. It has taken some time but at last we are ready to get moving. Not too many people have built skateparks over here, so we have gone off-Island to bring in help and we can guarantee that skaters will get a world-class, modern and up-to-date facility. I have always said if we are going to build it, let’s build it properly and supply the highest level of park possible.
‘We have still got to look at other facilities and we will be working towards that. I think in skateboarding – and all other sports – it is important that we provide facilities everywhere for everyone and they’re spread across the Island.’
