Construction of a new $280,000 skatepark in Te Puke got underway today.

A small gathering at Jubilee Park this morning saw the first sod turned on the Western Bay of Plenty District Council-led project which has been more than three years in the making.

Project lead Stephen Lun said the idea started with a suggestion to move funding allocated to rebuilding a smaller skatepark in Hayward Park.

"People in the community talked to us about moving that funding to Jubilee Park, so in the 2013/14 Annual Plan, after consulting with the public, we did just that.

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"There was also $107,000 left over from the Te Puke Town Centre Redevelopment Project and Council decided to divert those funds to the skate park project too."

The Te Puke Skatepark will be 626sq m when complete.

The final design was signed off in December 2015. It joins up with Jubilee Park's existing bleachers and the adjoining basketball half court.

Construction was expected to take about three months to complete.