Hundreds turn out for opening of new Jersey skate park

The skate park has opened nine months after it was planned to

A new skate park in Jersey is for people of all ages and abilities and "gives a bit of everything to everybody", a former senator has said.

The concrete skate park in Les Quennevais, was due to open in the summer of 2022, but delays held the project back.

Hundreds of people turned out to try the ramps.

Steve Pallett, who previously worked on the project, said he hoped any Olympic hopefuls could skateboard on the park.

He said it was "really exciting" and the opening has been "a long time coming".

"I'm so pleased that we're finally there, it's been a long, long road, it's probably taken about four and a half years from the first meeting we had in the Town Hall to where we are now."

The skate park has been welcomed by officials on the island

The planning application for the skate park was unanimously approved in 2021.

Mr Pallett said it was for "for young people starting out on their journey with skateboarding, all the way through to the more experienced skateboarders that have been looking for something to challenge them for a long period of time".

He added: "I think it gives a bit of everything to everybody, I think it gives younger people a challenge.

"But yes, there are some elements of you need to be a bit more skilled to handle, but that's the whole idea I think - to push skateboarding, to really see what standard and quality of skateboarders we've got on the island."

He said it was an Olympic sport now and "I think it's right that we've got a facility that we could possibly have somebody in future actually representing GB, and that would be the aim I think".

Skateboarders of all abilities attended the opening

Deputy Lucy Stephenson, minister for sport, said it was "incredible" to see the skate park open.

She said children and adults were already taking part, "getting out and about in the fresh air and being active, it's brilliant".

She said there had been "hurdles" throughout the process, including Covid, investment and site selection, adding: "It's always a challenge in an island like Jersey."

'Changing perceptions'

Daco Fernandes, vice chairman of the Jersey Skateparks Association, said working on the project had been a "labour of love".

He said perceptions around the sport were beginning to change.

"I think with the introduction of it into the Olympics and Skye Brown from skateboard GB actually qualifying and getting a medal was phenomenal," he said.

"I think people are suddenly realising, oh this isn't what we thought it was going to be."

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