Wycola Skate Park, home to one of the first skate bowls built in Ōtautahi Christchurch, has a long history of use. However, it's now due for a much-needed upgrade.

According to the 2023 Census, over 600 young people aged between 5 to 18 years old live locally. Additionally, multiple schools are based near Wycola Park which means many students regularly scooter, bike and skate in the neighbourhood. There is now a growing desire for a better space where young people can gather, connect and play with their peers in the park.

Wycola Skate Park has become an unsafe space and is overgrown with vegetation. Its deep skate bowl creates hidden spaces, while the outdated equipment is unsuitable for beginners. The asphalt and concrete are in extremely poor condition, making it practically unusable for most skaters. The covered areas have also been associated with a history of anti-social behaviour, highlighting the need for revitalisation.

Because of this, all of the existing skate infrastructure must be replaced.

Work done so far

In 2023, Council ran a community consultation to gather residents' views on Wycola Park and a future skate park.

Residents expressed a strong desire for the area to be safer and cater to a wide variety of skate park users, not just advanced skateboarders or mountain bikers. They also highlighted the importance of consulting young people directly to understand their needs. This consultation explored a variety of features to shape the park's concept design, which the Council has refined based on this feedback.

You can read the initial feedback here.

This year, Council ran several community workshops to engage local residents and young people. Residents and young people were excited about the planned upgrades and the prospect of Wycola Park becoming a safer and more welcoming place to play and socialise. We also heard that there is some enthusiasm for community-driven activation - such as incorporating street art into the design - to make the space feel unique and the character of the community.

What we're planning

CONVIC is a world leading skate park designer and our consultant for this project, their company originally built the Washington Way Skate Park. They have developed the concept plans for Wycola Skate Park using all previously collected feedback.