Skate Park

The skate park is located at Southgate Playing Fields on Southgate Avenue. To find out where this is and how to get there view the map or for more detailed directions click on how to get to Crawley view the area map.

For all the latest information on skate park programmes, events and coaching, log onto www.crawleyfreestyle.co.uk

To become a member of the Crawley Freestyle Association and receive many benefits including discounted coaching fees and exclusive members sessions at the skate park, log on to www.crawleyfreestyle.co.uk

****NEWSFLASH****

A successful first year for the skate park! 

Although hard to believe, the Skate Park has now been open for over a year. During this time, there has been a huge amount of programmes and events taking place: junior coaching, CFA members sessions, Easter Jam, school holiday coaching clinics, community group sessions, pro-tour demonstrations from Osiris, Element and Zoo York, and of course the main summer “Crawley Comp” to name just a few.

Over 13,000 people have been officially witnessed using the skate park during the first year (actual figure will be even higher!) – a real indication of the facility’s popularity and reputation regionally (if not nationally) as the best of it’s kind around at the moment. This reputation has led many other councils to approach CBC for help and advice on similar projects and Sport England will also be recommending Crawley Skate Park as a “best practice” example for others.

Thanks to the CFA, Leisure Rangers, Community Wardens, Amenity Services, West Sussex Youth Service, Crawley Police amongst many others, who have all made a huge contribution to such a successful first year’s operation of the park.

Mobile skate ramps to return next spring!

With the unfortunate theft of the mobile ramps last June, the programme had to be cut short, with many venues and events missing out as a result.

The good news is that the programme will be re-starting next Spring, as a new set of ramps will be delivered over the winter months. This will allow coaches from the CFA to deliver coaching sessions throughout Crawley again. Helmets and skateboards will be provided, so that everyone will have the opportunity to take part.

Check here towards the end of winter for more information, including dates and venues.

Crawley Skate Park Wins Award! 

The skate park’s reputation as one of the best facilities of its kind has increased with the design and construction project winning an award at the annual Horticulture Week Landscape and Amenity Awards night in London. The skate park’s building contractors - Blakedown Sport and Play – nominated the park for the category of “Best Playscheme Project”, which it won.

Congratulations go to everyone involved in the project, particularly the CFA which helped design the park and was heavily involved throughout the whole project.

A number of other councils from across the country have already been liaising with CBC about their forthcoming projects since hearing about this success. This just proves the benefit of having worked closely with skate park users on this project.

“Parksafe” programme a success at the skate park

The pilot Parksafe programme has just come to a successful end at Southgate Playing Fields. The team of trained youth workers (employed via West Sussex Youth Service) attended at the skate park every Friday, 4-6pm and 7-10pm and Saturday (7-10pm) during the busier usage months of April-October. This allowed the youth workers to engage with regular users at the park, to provide a consistent point of contact and advice for young people, and to generally make users feel safe whilst at the skate park at night.

Official feedback from users has confirmed the success of the project with over 90% of respondents indicating that they felt safer specifically during Parksafe sessions.

Crawley Police has also been very pleased with the project’s impact at the skate park, reporting minimal incidents of significant anti social behaviour at the park, even during peak usage months.

Thanks must go to Stephen Pearson and his Parksafe Team for operating such a successful pilot project and making a real difference to the operation of the skate park at weekends. Thanks also to the Strategic Youth Action Group, which provided the funding and general support for the scheme.

It is hoped that the next Parksafe scheme will begin again in April 2009.

Saturday Morning Junior Coaching Sessions

These supervised sessions have now finished, but will begin again next Spring (April 2009). The coaching has proved to be a popular programme at the Skate Park, with a core group of 10 children regularly attending each session.

Please check here again towards the end of Winter, for all the 2009 coaching dates…..

Sunday Skate/BMX Sessions at Waterlea

These sessions have also now finished. Although only a few children attended these sessions regularly, it did provide a good opportunity for the CFA coaches to work closely with them on improving their riding skills and confidence. These sessions were mostly enjoyed by children who wanted to start on a smaller ramp before progressing to the skate park!

Skate Park Safety

Although the skate park is an open access facility, it is strongly recommended that all riders wear appropriate protective gear, including a helmet, knee and elbow pads. The wearing of safety equipment during all council led sessions and competitions is compulsory (supplied by Crawley Borough Council where necessary).

The skate park is an unsupervised facility but the site is visited by the Community Wardens and Leisure Rangers on a regular basis.