The recently completed Woodstock skateboard park, which boasts four ramps, was officially opened on Monday 16 July 2018. As part of the festivities, Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, got onto a skateboard and joined local skateboarders to test the facility.
It is home-sweet-home for local skateboarders as they celebrate the new Woodstock skateboard park which will provide them with a platform to hone their skills.
WHERE: The skateboard park is situated on the eastern side of the Woodstock Town Hall Park along Victoria Road, between Plein and Aberdeen Streets, Woodstock, Cape Town 7915
During the launch event, local skateboarders took to the air to show their appreciation of the new park.
The 2015 South African skateboard champion, Shuaib Philander from Woodstock, was at the facility and gave Councillor Herron a few tips on how to skateboard.
‘The skateboard community is very happy to have its first transitional skatepark. It is a concrete ramp that imitates a wave which is how skateboarding was started. It involves lots of ramps and has curvatures. We love the skatepark that we have here,’ said Mr Philander, who has been skateboarding for 13 years.
Skateboarder and BMX rider Sergei Pringiers from Rondebosch welcomed the new skateboard park.
‘It is very nice to have the facility here. It is a bit steep but that’s because we are not used to it. The facility is pretty well-rounded and I like how it has different features. It is a good place for people to hang out and stay safe,’ he said.
‘It is very exciting to hear that this site was so popular during the school holidays. I believe the skateboarders were so eager and couldn’t wait for the final snags to be completed. I am confident that this facility will provide our emerging and local talent with a platform to hang out together, hone their skills and to have fun in a safe and well-designed space that they can enjoy. It is one of the City’s priorities to build integrated communities by attracting a diverse pool of talent and creating a culture where talent can thrive,’ said Councillor Herron.
Furthermore, non-potable water from treated effluent was used to premix the concrete that was required for this project.
Councillor Herron was the ward councillor in 2014 when the proposal for this park emerged during discussions with the local community and the skateboarding fraternity about the revitalisation of the Woodstock Town Hall precinct, as part of the World Design Capital co-design ward project.
‘It has been a fantastic journey to see how this Woodstock skateboard park has grown from being an idea to a reality which will benefit and empower our local talent. I want to thank the community, including the skateboarders, for sharing their valuable input relating to the location of the site, the planning, and in the design stages of the project. This project is a sterling example of the value of partnerships between local government and residents,’ said Councillor Herron.
The Woodstock Town Hall precinct has already received some upgrades since 2014, which includes the paving of the area between the town hall, library and park with red brick and cobbles, as well as providing seven additional parking bays to the existing parking area adjacent to the town hall.
Councillor Suzette Little, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Area North, said the park is a welcome asset for the community.
‘Our communities need spaces such as this which promote healthy, active living, where young people can channel their energy into improving their talents while having fun in a safe environment. I encourage our local skateboarders to make the most of this facility and to look after it so that more talent can be nurtured on these ramps,’ said Councillor Little.
