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Ātea papa wīra

Destination skatepark project

In collaboration with members from our local skate community, we’ve designed an exciting new destination skate in Mount Maunganui. We’re also upgrading other skate facilities across our city.

Update September 2023

Gordon Spratt Reserve skatepark

Papamoa is now the proud home of the recently revamped Gordon Spratt Reserve skatepark, designed in collaboration with experienced local skaters and the Acid Skatepark crew, who also constructed the skatepark. The skatepark includes a range of quarter pipe and street style features such as a manual pad, a street hip, a euro gap, A-frame ramp, stairs, ledges and rails. The skatepark’s footprint has increased by around 300sq/m to an overall size of approximately 900sq/m. Lighting has also been installed to enable use of the park when night falls. 

A community-led celebration of the refreshed skatepark will take place on the morning of Saturday 30 September and will include a skatejam featuring local skaters, a coffee cart and sausage sizzle. Keep an eye out on our Facebook page for more info, meanwhile you can read more about the skatepark below.

A new skatepark for Gordon Spratt Reserve

Destination skatepark

Tauranga’s destination skatepark for all abilities is a step closer to reality! Encompassing over 3000sqm, the skatepark - currently under construction on the corner of Hull and Maunganui Road, is anticipated to open in Autumn 2024. More than two months into construction, the skatepark is taking shape. The flow bowl is nearing completion. This will be followed by the new skate ditch. The new skatepark has been designed with all ages and abilities in mind. Features will include a large flow bowl, a big skate ditch going down into a mini ramp and lots of street skate obstacles like competition stairs, ledges, and ramps. There will also be a flatter piece of concrete for learners.

Locals will be itching to get their skate on once the new skatepark is completed, until then, check out a 3D model of the skatepark on display at our Mount Hub Office (9 Prince Avenue, Mount Maunganui) or read more about the destination skatepark below.

Work ramps up to get Tauranga's destination skatepark ready for construction.

Location of destination skatepark – Hull Road, Mount Maunganui

The new destination skatepark will be located on the corner of Hull Road and Maunganui Road, opposite the New World supermarket on Maunganui Road.

This site was chosen for a number of reasons, including:

  • its high-profile location which will add value to the surf/skate culture in Tauranga
  • excellent passive surveillance (people can keep an eye out for each other)
  • its proximity to a range of amenities including shops, toilets, Mount Maunganui beach and Blake Park
  • its location on existing cycleway and public transport routes, enabling easier access by foot, bike, skating and other roller modes
  • it can be integrated with planned traffic and pedestrian safety improvements along Maunganui and Hull Roads, and Tweed and Dee Streets in 2023-2024
  • it offers good opportunities for linking different skate zones together.

Enabling works – including fencing, water supply, and power installation – will be happening on site till June 2023.

Design of destination skatepark

Stand out features of the destination skatepark will include a flow bowl, a surf/skate ditch and competition style stairs, and a street skate area.

It is also designed with other park amenities such as landscaping, toilets, seating, drinking foundations, shade sails and a barbecue so it’s a place where people will want to come and stay, as opposed to being purely a technical skatepark for roller users.

Destination skate park

An artist's impression of the new destination skatepark planned for the corner of Hull and Maunganui Roads.

Flat bowl

The destination skatepark will include a flow bowl.

Snake run

The destination skatepark will include a snake run.

Survey and co-design group

In October-November 2021 we surveyed wheel-spinning user groups such as skaters, scooters, trick BMX and other roller groups to help inform why and where you skate and what makes a good skatepark. There was also an opportunity for you to register your interest to be part of the community design group.

The 24-member community design group met in February, July and August 2022 with the skatepark designer and council staff. With a location now determined, the skatepark concept will continue to evolve from this process. Engagement and working with the community in this co-design arrangement is central to the project. 

Read more about the community design group and your response to our survey below.

Skatepark design process ready to roll

Skate park workshop
Skate park workshop
 

The community design group met in February 2022 for the first of a series of design workshops.

Why is Council building a destination skatepark?

Through the Long-term Plan we have funding allocated for the upgrade of existing skate facilities and a contribution towards a destination skatepark.

Our growing skater community has told us our existing skate facilities are outdated and don’t provide for different skating experiences i.e. scootering, skateboarding, BMX, inline and roller skating.

Tauranga has a long history of being one of Aotearoa’s favourite surfing destinations. This ‘brand’ of outdoor adventure sports also includes skateboarding and other roller sports and is important to the people of Tauranga.

The skating industry has told us more people have been taking up surfing and skateboarding in Tauranga since the addition of these sports to the Olympic programme.

Skating is an accessible and inclusive activity, with active participants from a range of demographics, gender and backgrounds.

Skating provides physical, mental and social benefits. It’s a fun, unstructured, affordable activity that promotes being active and creative in suitable outdoor environments.

Key information

Project type
Community
Health and wellbeing
Parks and recreation

Status
Underway

Neighbourhood
Mount Maunganui / Arataki
Pāpāmoa / Pāpāmoa East

Key dates

  • Funding approved for upgrade of existing skate facilities and contribution towards destination skatepark in the 2021-2031 Long-term Plan

    July 2021
  • Consulting with skate community

    29 October- 28 November
  • Co-design group selected and concept design process begins

    January 2022
  • Location of destination skatepark announced

    June 2022
  • Concept design complete for destination skatepark

    Late 2022
  • Memorial Park skatepark improvements

    November 2022
  • Design complete for destination skatepark

    Early 2023
  • Enabling works for destination skatepark

    December 2022 - June 2023
  • Gordon Spratt Reserve skatepark improvements

    May to September 2023
  • Construction of destination skatepark begins

    July 2023
  • Completion of destination skatepark 

    May 2024

Who's listening

Community Relations Team
Tauranga City Council

Email: skate@tauranga.govt.nz
Phone: 07 577 7000

Community grants

Tauranga City Council is being supported in this project by community grants from TECT ($1,023,000), New Zealand Community Trust ($459,370), Lotteries ($528,847) and Project Tauranga ($200,000).

Read more about some of the community grants below.

Destination skatepark secures community grants

Skatepark upgrades

In December 2021 we added a new mini ramp – a partnership with Sam Robertson from Sam’s Skate School – and a new wedge ramp to the skatepark at Memorial Park.

Some of the feedback we received from the survey was around not having enough facilities for beginner skaters so the addition of a mini ramp at Memorial Park will help young skaters learn how to transition from horizontal to vertical skateboarding before tackling some of the larger vert ramps around the city.

Further improvements to the Memorial Park skatepark were completed in November 2022. Working with the community design group and our skate designer, we’ve come up with some super fun street-skate obstacles such as a manual ledge, a pole jam, a glass reinforced concrete (GRC) standard ledge and bank ledge, three different types of kerb grinders, and even a fire hydrant with GRC kicker!

We’re upgrading the skatepark at Gordon Spratt Reserve from 1 May 2023, and aiming to have the opening in September 2023, if the weather is good to us.

Roller skates

Other ways to get involved

Tauranga is your city. We’re working to make it even better.

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