The Falmouth Skatepark Project team has provided an update after the first phase of work was started on the site.

As you may have seen, contractors left the site today and there is a huge flat expanse at the Dracaena Centre where the skatepark will be built. The fences are down and the team say you are free to explore and use the car park in the middle.

How the site looks now

As part of the project, 20 new spaces have been created along the lane, and a further 36 spaces in the new car park area, the team was keen to stress that as time passes the current muddy brown space will come back to life.

The site plan by Maverick Skateparks

As you look at the site with your back to the football field, on the left near the tree line on dracaena ave, is where the skatepark will go, the middle slightly lower section is the new car park and everything to the right and towards the houses is part of the rewilding area- around 1/3 of the site.

The area where the rewilding project will take place

Cllr Kirstie Edwards has been working hard to secure separate funds for the last few months, to ensure they can increase biodiversity on site. The team was happy to share that today they found out the sub-project has been awarded a grant to facilitate its completion, thanks to the Cornwall council climate and nature fund. 

Cllr Kirstie Edwards Said: "I am delighted and grateful for the support from the nature and recovery team. An important piece of this project for me was always about what the site ended up being like after the build.

"I want to create a place people and the planet are happy and connected to. You can not escape the fact we are using concrete on some old prone to flooding grassland- this new habitat will mitigate some of that impact and create new biodiverse spaces for nature to flourish." 

Before the works started, there had been the basketball hoop that sat where the old skatepark once was. As part of the plan they will be relocating the basketball court and putting in a proper provision for this sport at the top of the Dracaena site.

Falmouth Town Council say they have secured a budget of £15,000 towards this and today Cllr Edwards put in an application to Sport England for match funds to complete this important project as soon as possible.

The contractor for the skatepark are scheduled to leave in July and the hope is to start work shortly after if funding is awarded. This project is also being led by Cllr Edwards who is supporting local resident Dom Lily in creating this important new space for the community.

When discussing the basketball court, Cllr Edwards said:" It makes total sense for me to be involved with both projects as there is so much overlap- my mission has always been to create as much free to access community sport and support space as we can- this is just the next part of that mission" 

The Skatepark team has put together what we can expect going forward, of course with so many external factors it could be subject to change:

NOW:

• Car park is ready to use with a temporary surface that will eventually be resurfaced in Phase 3 
• Wildflower seeding starts on the bund end 

May:

• Drainage and flooding work including an attenuation tank and connection fitted
• End of Groundwork phase
• Minimal disruption for 3-4 days with a small digger

End of June:

• Instruct contractor to Commence the Skatepark build and declare budget
• They need a 6-month lead time to book work

Autumn: 

• Complete part one of the biodiversity project at the bund end
• Plant 2000 bulbs ready for spring on the bund, plus hawthorne, blackthorne, and other small whips on bunds to create new habitat
• New mature trees go in on peripheral edge 

 Winter 23-4 :

• Skatepark build starts with an estimated completion date of summer 2024 
• Park complete
• Part 2 of rewilding project commences and is complete
• new community flower and shrub beds at skatepark and bench end of the park
• Hedgehog houses, bee and bug hotels, and bird and bat boxes to be installed Some made by the community as part of a small project some purchased from local suppliers
• Picnic benches installed

 Autumn 2024:

• Funding applications commence for phase 3: infrastructure- road and parking resurfacing and turning circle installation

Remember you can follow the team for updates on social media: Falmouth Skatepark Project