The operators of a new wheeled sports park in Inverness aim to build similar facilities in the city, including the Highlands’ first indoor venue.
The long-awaited attraction for skateboards, scooters BMX and rollerskates has opened at Inshes Park after years of planning.
Now other similar areas are planned, along with a skateboard school.
The Inshes Community Association (ICA) identified a wheeled sports park as a priority to provide facilities for young people.
Designs were revealed in 2018 and around £250,000 has been raised to develop the facility.
What features does the skatepark have?
ICA worked with Alan Jones Associates and local skateboarder Taran Campbell to design the skatepark and worked with Inshes Park owners Highland Council on the project.
The facility, built by skatepark construction company Concreate, features a variety of obstacles including rails, ledges, ramps, and quarter pipes.
To make it ready for all wheeled sports, wider lanes were added and hard-wearing materials used across areas more susceptible to wear and tear from BMX bikes and street scooters.
Mr Campbell, co-founder/owner of Infinity Trampoline Park in Inverness, said he is delighted to see the facility finally open.
He said: “I am looking forward to the park becoming a real community hub.
“I’m grateful for the support of the Inshes Community Association and everyone who helped make this happen.
“I’m excited to see the venue being used by skaters, scooters BMXers and rollerskaters of all abilities, and I hope it will inspire more young people to get involved in these fantastic sports.
“I’ve been passionate about skateboarding now for over 20 years and it’s had a profound effect on my life.
“It’s taught me many lessons about resilience and persistence, as well as providing me with many deep friendships and years of fantastic memories.”
New club will manage the skatepark
ICA chairman Thomas Prag is delighted with the project.
“It’s been a long haul, but it’s a great demonstration of how working in partnership delivers in the end.
“I always felt this area was short of community facilities and when we did market resarch this was exactly the kind of facility people wanted.”
Funding for the project comes from Highland Council, Inverness Common Good Fund, EB Scotland and local ward budget.
Simpsons Garden Centre also provided landscaping services.
The skatepark will be managed by the newly-formed Inverness Wheeled Sports Club which is co-chaired by Mr Campbell and Barry Collard.
Mr Collard took up skateboarding in 2020 during the pandemic and says it has physical and mental benefits.
The club’s aim is to build an indoor skatepark that can be readily available all year round
Taran Campbell
“Taking up the sport in my 40s has shown me that I’ve totally missed out on something that I wanted to try a long time ago.
“I’ve made new friends and found a sport that I have a true interest in.”
He said the new facility can be used by beginners and experts alike.
“It doesn’t matter if you can already skate, scoot, ride a BMX or rollerskate. Maybe you’re just wanting to take that first step, to start learning.
Plans for more wheeled sports facilities
The Inverness Wheeled Sports Club has now set its sights on further outdoor wheeled sports facilities, including a skateboarding school and an indoor venue.
“This is our first project but we are working towards a new indoor park in Inverness.
“The aim is to either find a unit to rent or potentially build a unit. I would like to see it happening in the next couple of years. That’s a reasonable timescale.
Mr Campbell said it is difficult for local skateboarders during the autumn and winter months.
“When the outside conditions become damp, cold and the evenings become darker, skateboarding effectively hibernates for a good six months or more.
“The club’s aim is to build an indoor skatepark that can be readily available all year round, seven days a week.”
Wheeled sports growing in popularity
He said coaching is a major part of providing new facilities: “We want to encourage new people to come into the sport.
“It is now an Olympic sport and it’s super popular. We’re hoping we can get high-level skaters coming out of the Highlands.
“With the outdoor facilities we already have we are on the cutting edge for skateboarding.
“But we want to surpass that and get more outdoor skateparks, large coaching programmes and an anchor indoor facility that pulls people in from all over the country.”
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