Building the Skate Park

During 2003 Land Services was approached by several groups and individuals representing wheeled sports enthusiasts who’s desire it was to resurrect the spiritual home of skateboarding in Glasgow, Kelvingrove Skate Park. Land Services listened to those voices and agreed Kelvingrove would once again become the centre for skating in Glasgow.


Features

The Parks configuration contains diverse elements that come in variety of forms with variations in size, gradient and height with the result being a challenging yet exciting skating environment for all abilities from the beginner to the champion skater. Elements found within the park:

• Transitions
• Ramps
• Hubbas
• Grind Rails
• Blocks
• Walls
• Stairs
• Open space for free-style board and BMX work

The Park is open from dawn until dusk and is free to all.


The Park and its Surrounding Area

There are plenty of facilities nearby, toilets, shops, cafes and great Glasgow institutions such as Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery, the Transport Museum, the Hunterian Museum and the architectural splendour of Glasgow University. It is the University and Kelvingrove Gallery that create one of the finest backdrops to a skate park anywhere in the country.

Getting There

Transport to the Park is best done by the use of public transport; several major bus routes pass the Park. It is also situated between two underground stations Kelvin Hall and Kelvinbridge. If you are using a car then please refrain from taking any vehicle into Kelvingrove Park.

Kelvingrove Skate Park location map (PDF 738Kb)

Health and Safety

• The Park Ranger Service patrol Kelvingrove Park regularly as do Strathclyde Police with whom Glasgow City Council works closely with on matters of safety within its parks.  The Park is also monitored as part of a City wide CCTV system.

• In the unfortunate event of an accident the Park Ranger Service will assist if present. However, please use the Emergency Call Point in the adjacent children’s play area to seek assistance. (Location Map referral).

Emergency Call Point location map (PDF 571Kb)


Most of all the skate park is there for fun, adventure, a challenge and excitement and Glasgow City Council Land Services invite all to enjoy it be they a skater or a spectator.

Designing a Skate park

To assist the skate park design an extensive consultation process was undertaken by the use of a questionnaire and chatting informally to groups of skaters. The design process was fed by this consultation, with many of the elements and features found in the Park’s final configuration being a direct response to this.

The input from skaters during the design stage was invaluable: they are best placed to comment on whether the layout was ‘skate-able’ and suggested ways in which an element could be enhanced to appeal to wider range of users of varying abilities.

The finalised design was put out to contract and awarded to Clachan Engineering Ltd of Perth, a company with a proven track record in the construction of skate parks. The construction of the park took 120 days with Land Services financing the whole venture.

From the day the site security fences came down heralding the Parks opening the number of users has been enormous and for Land Services is a satisfying sight and justification in its belief that Glasgow skaters deserved a park of their own. The sheer number of letters, post cards and phone calls it has received praising the skate-park has confirmed this belief.