A new skatepark is set to be built as part of the Broadmarsh redevelopment. The plans have been announced for an all-weather, well-lit skate area on Sussex Street.
The skatepark is a collaboration between Nottingham City Council, Skate Nottingham and Skateboard GB. Work has already started and is hoped the project will be completed by the autumn.
The space will be surrounded by a ledge between the skate area and footpath with skateable street furniture designed and built by Betongpark. The specialist firm have been responsible for recent skateboarding installations at Somerset House and The Strand in London.
Read more: Key Broadmarsh update as Nottingham City Council to spend further £695,000 on redevelopment
Skateboarding has seen a recent rise in popularity with Sky Brown becoming Team GB's youngest ever Olympic medallist and Nottingham's 13 year old Miriam Nelson winning this year’s Skateboard GB National Championships.
Across the city, Skate Nottingham have delivered free sessions and skate events to more than 3,000 people. The City Council have been working alongside Skate Nottingham as well as a wide range of local and international experts to develop plans for the space in front of the new Nottingham College building.
The area has undergone a complete makeover through funded improvements to streets around the new Broad Marsh car park, bus station and Central Library building. More than 100 local young people participated in a design project for the new skateboarding area which culminated in a film for the 2021 Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity.
The area will be noticeably different from a traditional ‘skatepark’ because items of skateable street furniture will be mobile as the Broad Marsh plan develops. This fits into the wider feel of Sussex Street with a flexible events area, basketball hoops and outdoor public seating.
Skate Nottingham has been awarded a National Lottery Awards For All grant of almost £10,000 to fund an ambitious programme of activities from the site, including free weekly beginners and women and girls-only skateboard sessions. It will also launch a Crowdfunder UK campaign to finance the installation of the street furniture.
Partners will also work to maximise the careers, personal development and employability benefits for Nottingham young people involved in the project, including work experience and further study. Local sports retailer Supereight will partner with DC Shoes to support an opening event.
Councillor David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Regeneration and Development, said: “This is a really forward-thinking project for our young people to get involved with and, when completed, will help to further enhance this key part of the Broad Marsh area.
“Sussex Street is taking shape quickly and has been totally transformed. Walking up into town from Canal Street now is a pleasant experience and we know what a difference it makes for students working out of the new college campus.
“Introducing a skateboard space fits in perfectly with the wider, more contemporary feel of the area and we look forward to seeing how it develops over the coming months.”
James Hope-Gill, CEO of Skateboard GB, said: “This is incredibly exciting, one year on from Team GB’s Olympic skateboarding medal. Cities like Nottingham taking the initiative to design skateboarding into a wider development that encourages socialising, urban sports and active play is really innovative, and helps us imagine how town centres can recover and re-invent themselves in exciting and inclusive ways while enabling more children and adults to Skate More, Skate Better.”
