Have your say on how you want to skate in Tauranga

Tauranga City Council is co-designing and identifying best location for a destination skate park. Photo / NZME

If doing ollies, kick flips and nose grabs are your thing, then Tauranga City Council wants to hear from you.

The council is co-designing and identifying the best location for a destination skate park for the city, as well as upgrading existing skate facilities.

Director of Spaces and Places, Paul Dunphy, said the council wanted to know from the Tauranga skate community what sort of improvements they would like to see to existing facilities and what they would like to see in a destination skate park.

"Our growing skate community has told us our existing skate facilities are outdated and don't provide for different skating experiences.

"As well as asking people to fill in our survey, we're also inviting members of the skate community to join a co-design group to design a new destination skatepark. Who better to know what works best than a skater?"

Long-time Tauranga skateboarder Garth Urquhart said different types of skaters would have different ideas about what they want for a destination skate park for the city so it was important for people to have their say.

"As well as skateboarding we've got scooters, roller skating and BMX. Together we can come up with the best solution and design to suit everyone."

The council survey was going to be launched with a Skate Jam at the Memorial Park Roller Rink but due to Covid-19 alert levels this has been postponed.

Dunphy said skating, like surfing, was part of Tauranga's DNA, and in our culture.

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

"Having a world-class destination skate park in Tauranga will help aspiring Olympic skateboarders and attract skating events both domestically and internationally, providing a boost to our local tourism industry and economy.

"A new, quality skatepark could pave the way for the next Olympic athlete from right here in Tauranga Moana."

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.

For more information about the destination skate park project and to complete the survey visit the website www.tauranga.govt.nz/skate.

Survey participants will go in a draw to win one of five $50 Prezzy cards. The survey closes on November 28 and the co-design process for the destination skate park will get under way in December.

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