Bristol: Skatepark campaign sparked by community group

Elevate wants the park to be used at an Olympic level as well as by the community

Users of a popular Bristol skatepark are hoping to raise £10,000 to start drawing up plans to save it from falling into disrepair.

St George Wheelpark has been a pivotal location in Bristol's thriving skate, BMX, and scooter scene ever since it was built in 1982.

A local group's fundraising plea to revamp the facility has now been backed by mayor Marvin Rees.

The total cost of rebuilding the skatepark is an estimated £1.5m.

Bristol City Council was forced to close part of the facility in October 2021 due to "poor and worsening conditions," following reports of a number of incidents caused by degrading ramps.

Community group Elevate Bristol, which was founded in 2019 by a group of local residents is now asking for public help.

It says it needs to raise a minimum of £10,000 to get the project started.

Robin Lewis, from Elevate Bristol said: "The current skatepark is at the end of its life, the design leads to user conflict and the mix of materials makes it deteriorate quickly and is costly to maintain.

"The skatepark is a place that brings our community together, mixing all kinds of people of all ages. It's a vital asset to the local community and wider city. If it was lost, the impact would be huge."

The cost to rebuild the skatepark has been estimated at £1.5 million

The campaign has backing from Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees who says the skatepark is an "important asset" to the community in Bristol.

He said: "The closure for health and safety reasons has been felt across the community.

"It's important that we work together to support its reopening and find the investment needed to secure the wheelpark's long-term future."

While the campaign to renovate the skatepark already has the backing of Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees and St George West councillor Asher Craig, Elevate Bristol still needs the support of the Bristol community to make the project a reality.

In total, the project to rebuild the skatepark will cost an estimated £1.5m.