Nelson City Youth Councillors in the skate park at Rutherford Park, near the Trafalgar Centre. The Nelson Youth Council are hosting a design competition for the skatepark after a recent redesign of the surrounding area during the Trafalgar Centre upgrade. Photo: Charles Anderson.

‘Old lumpy’ skatepark to get makeover

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The skatepark at by the Trafalgar Centre has long been neglected – a poor cousin to the much younger and slicker creation at Neale Park.

But all that is about to change thanks to an initiative being led by the Nelson Youth Council.
Known as “old lumpy” the skatepark technically does have a paint job – but it’s mostly graffiti with the odd bit of profanity.

“So, we want to take ownership of it,” says youth council member Jenna Stallard. “That is something we can do to make it better.”

Now the gates are open on a competition for anyone under the age of 24 to submit a design that will be painted on the park.

“We are really open to ideas,” says fellow youth council member Emma Edwards. “It could be anything.”

The winner not only will have their mark forever emblazoned on “old lumpy” but they will also have the choice of a $200 Cheapskates voucher or a group trip to the trampoline park at Tahunanui.

Youth council member Campbell Rollo says anecdotally the skatepark is one of the oldest full cast concrete parks in the country so it has a bit of history attached to it.

The competition closes on September 11. Entry forms will available at Nelson City Council customer services desk or from any college in the region.

The form will also be on the Youth Council Facebook page.