Skaters in Exeter get early Christmas present

Skaters in Exeter have got an early Christmas present with the opening of a new skatepark.

The new facility at Arena Park was opened today (Monday 10 December) by Exeter City Council. It contains ramps, quarterpipes, flatbanks, ledges and rails. The plaza style design also features a viewing/seating area overlooking all the action.

Lighting will be added over the coming weeks, allowing skaters to use the facility up until 9:30pm.

The design of the skatepark was chosen by a group of local skatepark users working to a design brief heavily influenced by the local skatepark community.

The old skatepark had to be broken up last year after it came to the end of its usable life.

Cllr David Harvey, Lead Councillor for Place, said: “Arena Skatepark has always been an extremely popular venue for skateboarders, in-line skaters, scooter and BMX riders, so I am delighted to be able to open a brand new facility which I hope will be enjoyed by the skatepark community for years to come.”

The City Council consulted with the user group right from the start, with over 300 people contributing their ideas for the design of the new facility.

Cllr Phil Bialyk, Lead Councillor for Health and Wellbeing, Communities & Sport, said: “Exeter has recently been recognised as the most active local authority in the country and it’s great that we can create facilities like this to cater for all types of activity – not just traditional sports - within the city.”