New skate park rolled out in Waurn Ponds

SKATERS are back on decks at a bigger and better skate park in Waurn Ponds, which is now officially open.

The design of the nearly $2 million project retains the steel halfpipe and spine ramp (made famous by pro skater Tony Hawk during a visit in 1999), upgrades the snake run bowl and street drain area, and creates an improved street plaza.

For non-skaters and non-scooters, the park also has a youth active recreation area with various activity options such as basketball and netball rings, outdoor playground featuring parkour equipment, bars, mini trampolines and a flying fox, and an extra shade structure and seating areas.

Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan (right) tests out the upgraded snake bowl as South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman looks on. Photos: JAMES TAYLOR

Expert skate park and youth space designers Convic developed the plans for the upgrade based on input from the local skate community, including two rounds of community consultation in 2021.

For the construction of the skate park, the city contracted Concrete Skate Parks, whose founder, owner, designer, engineer and builder is a skateboarder with a strong engineering background.

The project was funded by $1.34 million from the Victorian government through its Sport and Recreation Victoria Community Sport Stimulus Infrastructure Grant Program and $600,000 from the City of Greater Geelong.

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence, South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman, Geelong mayor mayor Trent Sullivan, chief executive officer Ali Wastie and Kardinia Ward councillors Ron Nelson and Belinda Moloney formally opened the park on Tuesday this week.

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence, Geelong mayor Trent Sullivan, South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman, and Kardinia Ward councillors Belinda Moloney and Ron Nelson sit on the lip of the snake bowl – the original vertical ramp and spine ramp can be seen behind them.

“Anybody who grew up in Geelong knows that we are standing right hereon sacred ground,” Cr Sullivan said.

“Growing up with three brothers, our main weapons of choice were skateboards, rollerblades, bikes… anything our mother could give us to get us out of the house.

“And naturally, a trip to the skatepark was always a really bloody good treat.

“I went past here on the weekend, and the amount of people that were here, checking it out, and not just the skatepark… there’s something for absolutely everybody.”

Geelong’s Kaden Witthaus-Shepherd demonstrates an impressive flip on his scooter on the snake bowl.

He said the Waurn Ponds skate park was one of 15 skate parks in the City of Greater Geelong.

“Per head, we have the most skate parks in Greater Geelong than in any other municipality; it shows how vital they are.”

“Waurn Ponds and the Bellarine Peninsula are home to a passionate and growing community of skaters, and it’s wonderful to see they now have a skate park that meets the needs of people of all ages and abilities,” Ms Spence said.

“By taking on board feedback from the community, we’ve ensured that Waurn Ponds Skate Park will continue to be an important regional sport and recreation hot spot for years to come.”