A new skateboard park to be developed adjacent to the Killarney Sports and Leisure Centre, off the MD O’Shea Roundabout in Killarney, has been awarded to a Cork-Spanish partnership.
The successful bidder for the €235,000 project was Brown Brothers from Cork who will work in association with Spanish based company, Vulcano, who are specialists in that type of facility.
The amenity, which will be constructed in the grounds of the sports centre, 2km from the town centre, has been sought after for years.
As far back as 2003, a campaign to encourage Kerry County Council to provide a public skateboarding park in or near the town began to gather momentum and close on 1,000 people signed an online petition supporting calls for the facility.
Kerry County Council agreed to fund 30 per cent of the cost and an application for sports capital grant funding was successful.
The council will also provide insurance cover and maintain the high-visibility facility which will be open from 9am to 9pm in summertime and from 9am to 6pm in winter.
The park will be surrounded by a 2.4m high lockable fence outside of those hours to ensure the interests of residents living in the vicinity are protected.
The skatepark, which will not be lit but will have CCTV coverage, will consist of bordered flat slab with integrated street features such as rails and grid blocks.
The surface will be constructed using a smooth durable concrete to minimise noise pollution and a 3m wide green area and safety zone will surround the facility which is located at the side of the N22 with existing trees to be maintained.
Tralee got is own skateboard facility in July with the opening of Ox Park, named in memory of local skateboard enthusiast Bruce ‘Ox’ Kelliher.
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