To the City of Perth,

Please accept this open letter regarding the City of Perth’s Riverfront Masterplan (Masterplan) which is open for public comment until Monday 5th May, 2025 (https://perth.wa.gov.au/building-and-planning/future-perth/major-projects/riverfront-masterplan). The Masterplan makes provision for a skate park within 'Precinct 2 - Play Precinct' on page 39 of the document. The allocation of a skate park within the proposed Riverfront redevelopment is fantastic to see and the City of Perth (City) is commended for taking this step. A skate park in this location would provide a host of benefits to the community and would help create a recreation focal point and key destination within the Riverfront. 

Issue and solution

We strongly encourage the City to proceed with the development of a skate park in the Riverfront area. It's essential to allocate sufficient land for this project and to thoughtfully plan its design to fully capitalize on this prime waterfront location within a capital City.

The graphic on page 39 indicates that the skate park is situated next to two 'multi-sport courts'. Given that a standard basketball court measures 420m², the combined area of two courts would be 840m². Without a scale on the graphic, it is estimated that the skate park's area does not exceed 840m². This allocation is insufficient to provide a skate park that matches the opportunity and expectations for a waterfront location in a capital city.

We want to see a legitimate skate park delivered in this space that caters to both street skaters and transition skaters. This shouldn’t be a token effort, but a genuine offering that will be used for generations to come. Across the globe there are iconic ‘destination’ skate parks that attract visitors and foster community spirit and we believe this is a fantastic opportunity for Perth to create something truly special.

We understand that detailed design of the skatepark will happen at a later stage however it is important to allocate adequate space to the skate park early in the process. 

Reasons for adequate skate park provision

Placemaking and building community

• By incorporating a skate park into the Riverfront area, the City can create a dynamic, inclusive and engaging public space that will benefit the entire community.
• A skate park will provide a recreational and social hub where people of all ages and backgrounds can gather, fostering a sense of community.
• Well-designed skate parks can serve as major draw cards and provide the ability to host community skate events. This in turn can attract visitors, boosting local businesses and tourism.
• Delivering a skatepark within the Riverfront area will provide the youth and the general public with an inclusive and accessible recreation space - a place which is free to utilise and is a popular alternative to organised sports.

There is no skate park within the City of Perth

• There is currently no skate park within the whole of the City of Perth local government area. There is a pump track in Wellington Square and while this is great and serves a purpose, it is a singular offering and is not considered a skate park.
• The McCallum skatepark is located within the Town of Victoria Park. Whilst the redevelopment of this skate park is great to see, it is located on the other side of the river and does not enjoy the high level of accessibility and connectivity that the City of Perth Riverfront location offers. A skate park within the Riverfront will create linkages to spaces within the broader central City area and serve all the users of the Perth CBD (e.g. visitors, residents, workers).

Strong uptake in skateboarding 

• There is a cultural shift towards viewing skateboarding as a legitimate and accepted activity rather than a niche hobby. This shift is reflected in the growing number of skateparks within Western Australia due to the realisation of the benefits they provide for communities and their users.
• Skateboarding is one of the most popular outdoor activities among Australian youth. This high level of engagement indicates that many young people prefer skateboarding over traditional organised sports like soccer or cricket.  There is a particularly strong increase in female participation in skateboarding throughout the country.
• The acceptance of skateboarding as an Olympic sport and having multiple Australian gold medalists has only added to this.
• Unlike some organized sports that require specific physical attributes or significant financial investment, skateboarding is accessible to a broader demographic. This inclusivity has contributed to its widespread appeal and all abilities and ages are able to participate.
   

Conclusion

We strongly encourage the City to proceed with the development of a skate park in the Riverfront area. It's essential to allocate sufficient land for this project and to thoughtfully plan its design to fully capitalize on this prime waterfront location within a capital City.

At a time when the City of Perth is seeking to attract more residents to live, work and recreate within its boundaries, as seen in the rise in student accommodation related to the new ECU City Campus and other residential accommodation projects in the pipeline, delivering a skatepark in the Riverfront area is an investment in the future of our City and community.

Delivering a skate park in the Riverfront will address the recreational needs of our youth and broader active population, promotes healthy lifestyles, fosters community spirit, and brings associated economic benefits. We urge the City of Perth to listen to the community and give the skate park the due consideration that it deserves and take the necessary steps to make the skate park a reality.