27 Jul 2016

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Halswell is to get two new skate parks.

At a special meeting on Wednesday night the Riccarton-Wigram Community Board decided that skate parks should be built in both Halswell Domain and the Knights Stream Sports Park.

The board’s decision follows months of consultation with the community and brings to an end a lengthy search for a suitable location for a skate park in the Halswell area for beginner to intermediate level riders.

Fifty-nine per cent of the 280 public submissions Christchurch City Council received about the siting of the skate park favoured putting it in Halswell Domain, next to the existing playground.

Investigations by Council staff though concluded that Knights Stream Sport Park would be the best location.

In the end the Board decided on both locations. They intend using the money set aside in the Council’s capital works programme to fund the park in Halswell Domain and to use money from reserve contributions to fund the park in the Knights Stream Sports Park, if approved by Council.

Council Head of Parks Andrew Rutledge said with sites selected, the next step was to consult the community about the design of the parks.

“The site specific detail design will be undertaken in conjunction with the community and we plan to hold some workshops in the next couple of months with school groups and community user groups,’’ Mr Rutledge said.

“The parks will be designed so they integrate well into the landscape and existing facilities such as the playground spaces. There may need to be some alterations to the play equipment but there will be no loss of equipment,’’ he said.

A skateboarding area was first proposed for Halswell in December 2008 and is in line with the 2004 Christchurch City Council Skateboarding, Inline Skating and Freestyle BMX Cycling Strategy.

a was first proposed for Halswell in December 2008 and its establishment is in line with the 2004 Christchurch City Council Skateboarding, Inline Skating and Freestyle BMX Cycling Strategy.