The start date for the conversion of a former crazy golf course into a £1 million skatepark has been revealed.
Last year, Thanet District Council (TDC) announced plans to build a new skatepark in Cliftonville, Margate.
Sitting on the site of a disused crazy golf course on Ethelbert Crescent, the project has received just under £1m of funding.
Covering almost an acre, the park could boast various-sized bowls, ramps and ledges, capable of catering for 100 users.
TDC is now seeking a private firm to design and construct the sports facility, posting the contract on the Kent Business Portal.
The project has been funded £750,000 as part of the Margate Town Deal from the previous government in 2021, and a further £175,000 was allocated to it at a TDC cabinet meeting in March 2024.
There was already a skatepark on the site from 2013-14 known as Little Oasis.
It was the product of the local community coming together to build it, but TDC ruled it unsafe and had it flattened in 2014.
Previously, a TDC spokesperson said: “The aim is for construction to begin in the spring of 2025 with completion by March 2026, in line with requirements of the Town Deal.”
However, the entry on Kent Business Portal says, “The contract is anticipated to commence upon October 2025 for a duration of 12 months.”
The online entry seeking a private firm to help TDC explains that they want a partner “with the experience, track record, capability and capacity to deliver a skatepark new build of the scale and complexity outlined.”
TDC stresses that the process will involve public consultations “to ensure the proposed design meets with local aspirations.”
The contract has an estimated value of £1.1m, a council spokesperson confirmed.
The skatepark is set to be constructed to cater to “all levels of abilities.”
Skateboarding has seen an increase in popularity in recent years, being featured at the 2020 Olympic games for the first time.
In 2022, F51, the world’s first multi-storey indoor skatepark opened in Folkestone.
TDC says the Cliftonville skatepark needs to be open and delivered by mid-July 2026.
TDC also previously said it will be made out of concrete, but the exact design and structures will be worked out by the successful contractor.
