Chorlton Skatepark

Summary

We aim to raise £300k, including £35k from this campaign, to build a new concrete skatepark for Chorlton.

• Chorlton skatepark is barely used for skateboarding and there is big support for it to be redeveloped.
• A new skatepark would be welcomed by the local community, helping to improve the mental and physical health of residents and the local environment.
• We are a small group of volunteers (skaters, parents), working with Friends of Chorlton Park and Manchester Active.
• We aim to raise a target of £300k to build a new concrete skatepark on the existing site.
• This Crowdfunder can make an important contribution to this - hopefully £35k (including £10k match funding from Sport England) - alongside other funding we’re currently pursuing.
• Our vision for the skatepark is one that can be enjoyed by complete beginners alongside more experienced skaters, BMXers, etc.
• Please donate what you can to help make this happen. You can either make a straight donation or exchange a donation for one of the rewards donated by local businesses (see right hand of the site). It doesn't have to be big - every donation will help. Thank you!

Who are we?

• We are a group of volunteers who came together in 2022 to get Chorlton Skatepark redeveloped. We are skaters, parents and skater parents. We work as part of the Friends of Chorlton Park group, who help to provide our governance, as a formal constituted organisation. We are also working with Manchester Active to make sure they support our plans and can help us to make this happen.
• We've benefited from the work of Skate Chorlton, a previous volunteer group who managed to raise £10k in funding, which we are using as a contribution to this project.
• We have support from Unity and Projekts MCR, local community organisations who will help us set up youth programmes and coaching sessions to help widen the use of the new skatepark.

Why Chorlton Skatepark?

• The existing park isn’t suitable for wheeled sports. The park is badly designed and the surfaces are dangerous when wet. It’s mainly used by kids climbing on the ramps (which is not what they’re built for).
• Over 300 people voiced strong support for a new concrete skatepark in response to a survey carried out in 2020. This crowdfunding campaign is the first step in getting a new skatepark built.
• Chorlton Park is a busy, popular green space that is well-connected by public transport - this will help to make sure a new skatepark is well used and widely accessible.
• The new skatepark will be a free, open-access facility and skateboarding equipment is relatively low cost. This project will help to provide affordable fun activities for the community during this cost of living crisis.
• The new skatepark will be a huge benefit to young people in the area. It is a few hundred metres from both Chorlton Park Primary and Chorlton High School where we know there is a lot of demand for a new skate facility (see skateboard lesson at Chorlton Park Primary featured in the video above).
• The local area including Chorlton Park is in the 30% most deprived in the UK, and the area to the south of the skatepark is in the 10% most deprived areas. Although other parts of Chorlton are less deprived, this shows that a new skatepark would really benefit lower income households.
• The new skatepark could also benefit disabled people. There is an active Wheel Chair Moto Cross (WCMX) scene in Manchester (see https://www.graystoneactionsports.co.uk/wcmx).
• We will work to ensure the new skatepark is welcoming and inclusive to the diverse community of Chorlton and the wider Manchester area. We will do this working with Unity, a charity formed to celebrate diversity - https://www.facebook.com/UnityArtsMCR
• Benefits for skatepark users. Free, open access skate facilities in Manchester haven’t been improved for decades. This is a real chance to get an amazing quality outdoor park, have a say in the design, and get it built quickly. We know skaters have been asking for this for years. The benefits of skating are covered below.
• Benefits for parents and residents. Parents, this is a great opportunity for your kids to have access to a top-notch, free facility so they can learn a wheeled sport (see benefits below). Residents, the project will improve the local environment by replacing dilapidated, metal ramps with a new, durable concrete skatepark. We have identified builders who combine expert knowledge of what works for users with attractive design, to appeal to the public. We anticipate a reduction in litter as skaters will look after the space, and are also exploring how plants can be integrated with the skatepark to help benefit the environment (wildlife, drainage etc).

Our vision for the skatepark

• Informed by the survey, our vision is for a mixed park (street, flow and transition), with beginner friendly areas, more advanced sections, and a layout that allows longer lines across these sections.
• While the majority who responded to the survey were skateboarders, need to make sure we cater for other wheeled sports like BMX, scooter and roller.
• We plan to extend the footprint of the current skatepark to make it bigger, which will help ensure there are different areas that meet the needs of different skatepark users.
• We have discussed our plans with various established national skatepark builders to get information on how much our vision will cost to deliver.

What else are we doing to achieve this?

• We have a target budget for the project totalling £300k. This crowdfunder campaign forms part of a wider funding plan for investment and will help to secure other external grants and contributions. This includes discussions with a landfill grant scheme (up to £100k) and Manchester Active about significant funding contributions.
• Manchester Active have undertaken an outdoor action sport needs assessment, consulting on improvements to outdoor skate facilities in Manchester. Together the needs assessment and public consultation findings provides the evidence base for Chorlton Skate Park, as a priority project to be taken forward with partners and the local community.
• In combination we think a realistic funding plan is in place that will get us towards this target amount, with a strong case for investment at Chorlton Skate Park in an area of high need and demand.
• Subject to funding being secured, Chorlton Skate Park Project will be procured through Manchester City Council’s Capital Framework in accordance with Skateboard GB ‘Design and Development Guidance for Skateboarding’ to aid Local Authority planning, development, and procurement. This will include a design process in consultation with the community.

Why should I care about a skatepark?

• If you’re a skater or similar, skip this section, you already know
• Otherwise… Modern, open access skateparks are places where people of all ages and backgrounds can participate for free in a shared interest: learning new skills, building confidence, getting exercise and having fun. Wheeled sports can also offer something different to kids who otherwise avoid organised sport, and may be attracted to something more inclusive, accessible and cooler.
• Skateboarding also offers amazing health and personal development benefits, including coordination and balance, mental health and stress relief, pain tolerance, precision, improved reflexes and patience.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

 1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Summary

We aim to raise £300k, including £30k from this campaign, to build a new concrete skatepark for Chorlton.

• Chorlton skatepark is barely used for skateboarding and there is big support for it to be redeveloped.
• A new skatepark would be welcomed by the local community, helping to improve the mental and physical health of residents and the local environment.
• We are a small group of volunteers (skaters, parents), working with Friends of Chorlton Park and Manchester Active.
• We aim to raise a target of £300k to build a new concrete skatepark on the existing site.
• This Crowdfunder can make an important contribution to this - hopefully £30k (including match funding from Sport England) - alongside other funding we’re currently pursuing.
• Our vision for the skatepark is one that can be enjoyed by complete beginners alongside more experienced skaters, BMXers, etc.
• Please donate what you can to help make this happen. You can either make a straight donation or exchange a donation for one of the rewards donated by local businesses (see right hand of the site). It doesn't have to be big - every donation will help. Thank you!

Contributing to Making Manchester Fairer

• As a city, Manchester is proud to say that we have had an ongoing commitment to equality and making services, facilities and opportunities as fair as possible.
• Whatever place you happen to live in, the communities you belong to support and nurture our health. Connected communities, where people feel valued and involved in decisions that affect them and have a greater sense of control over their daily lives, are good for health and wellbeing and improving health equity.
• A new skatepark would play a key role in improving the health and life chances of the local community and all Mancunians, whilst giving children and young people the best start in life, strengthening community power and social connections. 
• As an outdoor place, located in one of Manchester’s green space and outdoor parks, the skatepark would also contribute to improving the environment and surroundings in the area, by encouraging active travel, walking, cycling and wheeling, and helping tackle climate change.

T-shirts 

• We have a limited number of the original Skate Chorlton T-shirts available as rewards. Please see images below.