For Martin Jones, who has been skateboarding for more than 30 years, the new plaza at Victoria Park is the one Swansea’s riders have been waiting for.
“In the early 90s, all we had for skateboarding was Castle Gardens and the streets,” he said.
The street-plaza style facility opened recently and is already drawing skateboarders, BMX riders, scooter users and roller skaters in large numbers.
It is the standout site in Swansea Council‘s £3 million investment in wheeled sports across the city — a programme that has also delivered upgraded parks at the Phoenix Centre in Townhill and Mynydd Newydd in Penlan.
Jones links the surge of interest to the sport’s rising profile since skateboarding made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021.
“There’s definitely been a resurgence in skate parks,” he said. “Swansea Council’s investment is fantastic — and Victoria Park is the jewel in the crown.”
“We’ve been waiting for this because Victoria Park is the hub of skateboarding in Swansea. To have something of this quality for everyone to use is brilliant.”
Celeste Pepper, six years into the sport, says the facility has already become part of her daily routine.
“I came to Swansea for the surf and skating scene and having this new facility is amazing — it’s top notch,” she said.
“It’s only just opened but it’s already incredibly popular. I’ve been here every day since it opened and some of the tricks I’ve seen have been crazy. It’s great to see this investment.”
Jason Thomas, who first stepped on a skateboard aged seven, said the atmosphere had been remarkable.
“I was here the day after it opened and it was amazing,” he said. “The range of people using it — from kids to adults, on skateboards, scooters, BMXs and roller skates — was awesome to see.”
He also praised the upgraded facility at Melin Mynach in Gorseinon, one of the sites completed earlier in the programme.
“It’s brilliant for the community and fantastic that there are more facilities ready, being built and planned across Swansea,” he said.
The Victoria Park, Phoenix Centre and Mynydd Newydd parks were designed by specialist firm Curve Studio, with the sites built by contractors Wheelscape, Bendcrete Leisure and Canvas Spaces.
They build on upgrades already completed at Coed Bach in Pontarddulais and Melin Mynach in Gorseinon, with more schemes planned across the city.
The council says the investment aims to put most Swansea residents within two miles of a new or upgraded wheeled sports facility.
The programme is funded through a mix of ward member funding, the council’s Community Investment Fund, contributions from community and town councils, and Welsh Government money through the active travel grant.
