City of Sydney opens new skate park in Alexandria

Sculptural bowls and obstacles are set to challenge skaters of all ages at the City of Sydney new $6 million skate park in the inner-city suburb of Alexandria.

Featuring the largest public flow bowl in Sydney, a beginner’s bowl and an expansive skate plaza riddled with challenges, the Sydney Park spaces cater for people of all abilities on skateboards, BMX bikes and scooters.

Advising that the skate park has been developed in response to strong demand from skaters and local families, Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore stated “we’ve responded to strong community demand and created an incredible skate park for both beginners and the bravest among us to ride, skate and master their tricks.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching this innovative project take shape and I’m really looking forward to seeing riders and skaters out there enjoying this beautifully designed, expansive community space.”

The skate park has three distinct areas and features:

• An extensive plaza with obstacles for street-style technical tricks, including banks, rails, ledges, stairs, vertical wall and quarter pipe
• A beginner’s bowl 
• An international competition-standard large flow bowl with depths of up to 3.3 metres for advanced skaters and riders. 

Viewing areas, seats and trees are scatted throughout the skate park while new picnic areas and barbecues have been installed and a final piece of a path now connects the entire park.

Acknowledging the park’s transformation from a brickmaking site to rubbish dump, recycled bricks have been used to pave walking paths within the facility.

The City of Sydney worked in collaboration with designers Group GSA and Convic, and principal contractor Concrete Skateparks on the skate park project.

Lord Mayor Moore added “we’re appreciating our precious outdoor spaces more than ever and Sydney Park has so much to offer, from this amazing skate park, to the kids’ bike track, playground, rolling hills and wetlands bustling with wildlife.”

Construction on a new skate plaza and concrete half pipe next to Federal Park in Glebe is also underway. It will have ledges, banks, kerbs, walls, rails and stairs, as well as a freestanding mini ramp.

Other City of Sydney skate zones are at Redfern Park, Waterloo Oval and Ward Park in Surry Hills.

Images: Dylan Donnini at the new Sydney Park skate park (top and below) and Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore (middle). Images courtesy of Chris Southwood/City of Sydney.