Skaters and BMX riders have wasted no time getting on three new wheeled sports parks that have just opened across Swansea.
The biggest is a street plaza-style park at Victoria Park, joined by upgraded sites at the Phoenix Centre in Townhill and Mynydd Newydd in Penlan.
All three were being ridden before anyone had cut a ribbon — the official openings aren’t due until later this summer.
They are the latest sites to land under Swansea Council‘s £3 million spend on skate, BMX and scooter facilities, a programme riders themselves pushed for over several years.
The council says the goal is to put most residents within two miles of somewhere to skate or ride.
The Victoria Park plaza is the standout. Work there has been tracked from the first diggers on site through to its promised spring opening, and it has now opened its gates.
The designs were drawn up by specialist firm Curve Studio, with the building work handed to contractors Wheelscape, Bendcrete Leisure and Canvas Spaces.
Cllr Andrew Stevens, the council’s cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said the early turnout showed the parks were hitting the mark.
“This investment is about creating welcoming, high-quality places where people of all ages can be active, develop skills and enjoy modern facilities close to home,” he said.
Council leader Rob Stewart was also at Victoria Park to see the new plaza in use.
The three openings follow upgrades already finished at Coed Bach in Pontarddulais and Melin Mynach in Gorseinon.
They build on years of lobbying by local riders, who backed the spending as a way to grow the sport and give young people somewhere to go.
There is plenty still in the pipeline. A BMX-focused park is planned for the Elba sports complex in Gowerton, with a small cycling track in Blaen-y-maes, a new pump track in Bishopston and a refurbished one at Clyne Valley.
A junior pump track is lined up for Gorseinon and a skatepark for Ynystawe Park — both shown off in design form late last year.
Further schemes include dirt tracks at Coed Gwilym Park in Clydach and Coed Bach Park in Pontarddulais, plus pump tracks at Morriston Park, Heol Las Park in Birchgrove, Maesteg Park in St Thomas and the SA1 Prince of Wales Dock.
The whole drive sits inside the council’s wider £11m spend on play areas and recreation since the pandemic, paid for through ward budgets, the Community Investment Fund, town and community council money and Welsh Government active travel grants.
It all comes shortly after skaters, families and PCSOs got together for a community paint day at Mumbles skatepark, brightening up the ramps with their own designs.
