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

Busy time ahead at the Skate Park!

With winter hopefully long gone, things are starting to hot up again at the skate park. Coming up over the spring and summer months will be:

Junior Skateboard/BMX Coaching

The CFA’s popular coaching sessions will be returning to the skate park towards the end of April. These sessions provide young aspiring riders the opportunity to get some personal expert tuition from talented and experienced CFA coaches in a closely supervised session.

Each session costs just £2 for CFA members (otherwise £3) and take place between 10-11.30am for boys and girls aged 8 years+ on alternate Saturday and Sundays (April-October weather permitting). Helmets are essential for these sessions and can be provided if required. A limited number of skateboards are also available for use if required.

Registration forms and signed parental consent must be completed prior to the first session. These can either be filled in on the day (forms available from the CFA container next to the skate park – please arrive early!) or downloaded in advance at www.crawleyfreestyle.co.uk

Please download all coaching dates here:

• Junior Coaching dates 2009

Mobile Skate Ramp Programme

2009 sees the return of the popular mobile skate ramp tour. This year, the CFA will be taking the ramps into secondary schools including Thomas Bennett Community College, Ifield Community College, Holy Trinity, Hazelwick, Oriel and Manor Green. 90 minute supervised sessions will be available to students straight after school, followed by a further 90 minutes for year 5 and 6 pupils from the nearest Primary schools. For those locations with a youth wing, there will also be an evening session available. These sessions are provided free of charge and are suitable for skateboards, in-line skating and BMX. Helmets are essential for these sessions and can be provided. A limited number of skateboards are also available for use if required.

For full details of locations, dates and times, please download the document below:

• Mobile Skate Ramp details

Summer Skate Park Competition

The main competition of the year will take place over the weekend of the 15th/16th August. Please make a note of this date now! More details will be available nearer the time.

“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.

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.