Plans to make Swansea one of the best cities in the UK for skateboarding, BMX bikes and similar sports are to be given a £2m boost.
Swansea Council has pledged to invest an extra £1m on top of £1m already committed into developing state-of-the-art facilities across the city, providing better opportunities for skateboarders, scooter riders, BMX lovers and inline skaters.
Following a wide procurement process, international skate park experts – Curve Studio – were appointed to map existing facilities, assess conditions and opportunities, and help deliver consultation to shape the ambitious plans.
Now the council is committing further funding to the project – and locations will be announced in due course.
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism, said: “Skateboarding and BMXing has always had a loyal following in Swansea.
“There are already locations around the city where enthusiasts can go to enjoy their favourite sport.
“But our plan for the future is to give a huge upgrade to facilities which perhaps will lead to local youngsters who got their first taste of the sports in Swansea representing our country on the international stage in years to come.
“The extra money will make a real difference and help us take our ambitions further, and deliver an even greater spread of improvements, as was the clear demand expressed through the consultation undertaken by Curve Studio.”
He added: “This consultation drew out the fact that our communities want to see the next generation benefit from facilities in Swansea that help harness the dedication and enthusiasm of skateboarders and BMX riders.
“Whether it’s for fun, wellbeing or because they have aspirations of Olympic greatness, wheeled sports fans in Swansea will have somewhere safe, challenging and accessible to do what they love.
“Like the millions of pounds we’re investing in play areas, it’s all part of the council’s continuing commitment to create free outdoor spaces for communities to enjoy, supporting their well-being and helping their families through the cost of living crisis.”
Curve Studio have an international reputation for delivering skate and BMX facilities and they’ve been working with local skaters, BMX groups and organisations to come up with a plan for community-based facilities around the city.
The team has already carried out a survey of existing skate facilities in Swansea, visiting 20 sites around the city, gaining a better understanding of the current provision.
More than 300 people also took part in an online consultation and drop-in events at the beginning of the year, which has helped the Council and its partners – Curve Studio – get further knowledge of the public’s views.
Kenneth Waggestad-Stoa from Curve Studio is a keen skateboarder who has been instrumental in designing skate facilities elsewhere in the UK as well as abroad.
Kenneth said: “Lots of work has already been done in partnership with the Council, allowing us to get a better understanding of what provision there is in Swansea for skate and wheeled sports.
“We also had a great response to the recent consultation with hundreds of residents informing us of their leisure habits in relation to wheeled sports.
“The key aim of this project is to develop a network of wheeled sport facilities across Swansea. The masterplan combines different styles and scales of skateparks and pump tracks. Easily accessed, high-quality local facilities are distributed across the city, mixing easy-going community parks with larger destination facilities.”
Curve’s Jeremy Donaldson said: “We are creating spaces to inspire people to get into skating and riding, to learn, progress and be part of a community. We are about to light up a new name on the skatepark map: Swansea.”
