Plans rolling for ‘world’s first city of skateboarding’
PARK UNDER MANCUNIAN WAY SET TO BE TRANSFORMED AND EXPANDED
THE city centre skate park under Mancunian Way could be transformed and expanded as part of plans to create ‘the world’s first city of skateboarding.’
Not-for-profit community group Projekts MCR, which runs the existing site on London Road, wants to upgrade the centre in a bid to ‘demystify the sport’ and encourage more people to take it up.
A planning application submitted to the town hall would see new fences, a larger skating surface, new viewing deck, teaching area and cafe incorporated in an overhauled park.
Projekts MCR says the result will be a ‘national centre of excellence for the teaching and demonstration of skateboarding and wheeled extreme sports in general.’
The park was originally run by the council itself, but in recent years has been rented to the group, which has reported a surge in participation particularly among girls and women, whose numbers have increased nearly 80 per cent.
According to Projeckts MCR’s application, funding for the upgrade has been secured in principle from Sport England, along with £400,000 more from other sources.
It outlines an ambitious plan for the park, stating: “We would like to create the world’s first ‘city of skateboarding’ - to become the world’s first city that as part of its agenda, encourages skateboarding as a form of transport, fun and creative expression through improvements to infrastructure.”
The application describes London Road’s existing site as an ‘awesome piece of urban architecture that’s worth visiting even if you can’t use the ramps,’ adding that the redesign has taken its inspiration from the ‘industrial aesthetic’ of the surrounding Mayfield area.
Under the plans, the park’s two halves - which are currently split by a closed road - would be joined together to create a bigger surface that would allow people to skate its entire length, while a new ‘beginners’ area would also be built.
“Projekts MCR is here to make Manchester a better place for all those people who regularly use skateboards, scooters, blades, skates and BMXs and for those who haven’t tried any of these ramp disciplines yet,” it adds.
“The proposals are to create a national centre of excellence for the teaching and demonstration of skateboarding, and wheeled extreme sports in general.”