open and happening

What a busy month it has been. By now you will have worked out the park is open.

photo Luke Brown

On October 31st the youth space was officially opened by Sen Kate Lundy and Minister Andrew Barr. A skate and BMX comp was held and the day was very very successful. There are plenty of images on skateboard.com.au if you would like to check it out.


There are still a few loose ends to complete at the park. We have some box sections going in at the back of the banks this week. We are also expecting the shade structures to be completed in the next week or two with mesh as well signs installed to replace the temporary ones currently in place.

photo Lea Durie

We have also ordered a couple of bollards to replace the gate at the path entrance to the park and will hopefully have them in very soon.

We have decided to save some money and disruption by not proceeding with the resurfacing of some of the areas of the space. Whilst this would have looked amazing and would have offered an unusual skate experience it would also have meant closing the park for application and curing for up to two weeks. In addition the suitability of the application and maintenance issues were not assured.

You will also have noticed a significant amount of tagging. This is disappointing but not unexpected. Tags have been removed from non skateable surfaces and this will be ongoing. Those areas which have been sealed are being left for the moment whilst we get final info on the best method for removal without damaging the sealed skate surface. It is ACT Government policy to remove all graffiti as soon as possible.

The sports level lighting is also on order, however, it will not be operational until ACTEW install a new substation to cater for the park. There is a lead time on this of several months.

Over the next week or so Parks Conservation and Lands staff will be setting up a meeting with key people to act as an ongiong sounding board and contact point for the youth space. Please let us know if you have any issues that you would like discussed.

closer and closer

The finish is in sight. The place is taking form. This week we'll see lots of progress on site and even start to see seating and shelters going at the end of the week.

The rain has slowed things down a little, the cold on the weekend didn't help much either. It isn't fun working in sleet , the Convic team report. We are expecting to take down the fences on October 14th, all going well. The last part of the job is applying a special finish to sections of the banks which Convic tell us will make the park even better.

We do need to make sure people keep out of the park until the fences are down and the site is open for use. If anyone gets into the site earlier safety inspectors from Work Cover will close the site while an investigation is undertaken, a report filed and changes made to secure the site further. This will mean it will take at least two weeks longer to open it - so if you hear of anyone keen to sneak in tell them how bad an idea it is - for everyone.

There was a great article in the paper on the weekend - take a look here on the new Canberra Skateboarding Association website canberraskateboarding.org

Week 6 - Mud

If it hadn't started raining we would have been up to the skate park transitions by now - but now these next few days which will involve a lot of pumping of water and lots and lots of mud.

This is what it looked like on the weekend.

(photos from Luke Brown)

Week 5

Construction on site at the beginning of week 5 is moving along at a cracking pace. The flat areas along the top and copings are in place - and don't they look fantastic?

The transitions and banks are currently being excavated, with concrete for these going in very soon. Now that all the lower areas have been dug out our greatest fear is that it starts raining and they fill with water, which will slow construction down.

Rain is forecast for later this week - hopefully if it does come it will only be a dusting.

Progress

Time for a progress report.


The bulk earthworks, drainage and electrical conduiting is almost finished. It is starting to take shape, though doesn't look much like anything recognisable at the moment.



Convic are on site and have commenced construction. The first concrete pour should be later this week.

Launch

Canberra turned on the perfect day to launch a youth plaza.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope MLA spoke about how good it was to have one of these marvellous facilities in Canberra and thanked Minister Albanese for the Federal Government funding.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government The Hon Anthony Albanese, MP (on the right) congratulated all involved in getting to this point and talked about the Nation Building Program creating jobs in these uncertain times.

Canberra Skateboarding Association president Luke Brown coped very well being put on the spot by media, with no time to prepare.

An tour of the site was organised where we were able to show plans of what a fantastic facility that will be to Minister Albanese.

The project had good coverage on WIN news last night. Luke Brown and Lea Durie were also interviewed on ABC local radio yesterday where Luke was very articulate and Lea wished she was.

And while building continues we have our first day of wet weather, which will slow things up unfortunately, but not for long.

And this week we start planning the official opening for the beginning of November and are still keen to hear your ideas. Do you want a comp, a clinic, both, know of a good band to play etc etc?

Come along Monday

Come along one and all to the Official Project Launch on Monday at 10am.

You all deserve it.

There will be food.

There will be construction.

There will be some short speeches by the Chief Minister Jon Stanhope MLA and the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government The Hon Anthony Albanese, MP (the funding body)

Monday August 10th at Eddison Park.

We hope to see you there.

First Construction Photo

Working on the drainage lines yesterday.

Skate Park Contractor Announced

After holding you in suspense we are now able to announce that Convic have been selected to construct the skate park component of the Eddison Park Youth Plaza. That news, hopefully, will put a few minds at rest.

They will be on site from the middle of next week.

work starts

Things are now getting very exciting. Construction works commence this week - fences should go up Friday with electrical services excavations over the weekend.

The heavy machinery will be on site mid next week to do the bulk excavation.

How much of the original design is included? Thankfully we have managed to keep all the skate elements shown in the last released design and have managed to find the necessary savings through deleting the climbing wall, shelters, sports level lighting, some of the seating and probably some of the signage. We do hope that these will be able to looked at again in the near future, which of course is always dependent on other competing budget priorities for the Government.

Soon we will start to plan launching the facility with the Canberra Skateboarding Association and the Woden Youth Service. As always we welcome your suggestions for this event.

Edited to Add: Contracts are being finalised for the successful tenderers on the skate park component at the moment and an announcement will be made as soon as we are able. We don't think you will be disappointed.

It is busy behind the scenes

It has been a little quiet on the blog this past 3 weeks, however, this does not mean there is nothing happening. The project is in a phase where not a great deal can be said for confidentiality reasons. Please be assured packages are designed and are being tendered with two already issued and one closed. Once successful tenderers for each package are confirmed they will be announced here.

An official start up event for the construction project is hoped to take place on the 10th of August. Further information on this will also be posted once confirmation is received.

Development Approval and Construction tenders

The design for the park is with the ACT Planning Authority for development approval. Plans for both the youth facility and other works which include upgrading the pond and other recreation facilities for the park have been submitted at the same time. Both will be posted on the ACTPLA website sometime very soon.

If you do take a look on the ACTPLA website you will see that the plans are for the facility still with all the elements we have identified as may not be built for budget reasons. By having these in the DA now they can be built as funding is available without the need for a further approval process, provided it isn't too far into the future.

Expressions of Interest have also been called for construction tendering - with an add placed in the Canberra Times last week and the week before. We expect to have quite a bit of interest in this project from construction companies and will be ensuring that the company selected to construct the skate elements will be very competent in this field. The project is being broken up into a number of tender processes related to each of the construction areas - such as earthworks, electrical, landscaping, general concreting and skate area concreting etc.

In the meantime the plans are being finalised in packages that work with this tendering process.

Priorities

Thank you for your feedback on priorities. The project reference group also met last week to discuss your feedback and provide some direction to PCL. This was then taken to a meeting of the project managers, designers and government agencies last Thursday.

The project managers have been advised that the least important elements, the ones which will not be built if the budget does not allow, are the climbing structure, video and ipod dock, shelters, some landscaping, solar panels, some seating, and most lighting.

We hope the tenders come in at a price that allows us to complete the project as originally planned - but at least we have a strategy, which everyone seems to agree on, if it doesn't.

Top 5

In a previous post we discussed the project being costed at more than the budget . The cost planners have now taken a look and agree that we need to identify some savings. The reference group, PCL, Convic and Manteena have all been considering what is the most and least important to keep and welcome your ideas as well.

Please let us know - by a comment on this post - your top 5 and your bottom 5 things in the design.

Melbourne hints

The trip to visit youth recreation spaces in Melbourne was a very worthwhile way to spend a couple of days.

The main tips to come out of the meetings with people who have built and run similar spaces are:

• it isn't all about the skaters though they can make the most noise (hear that skaters?) make sure there is enough happening for other people
• make sure parents are catered for with spaces where they can keep an eye on things without being in their kids' face
• make the ipod dock as vandal resistant as possible and set a max volume
• check if lights on the performing space are necessary or if events will happen in daylight most of the time
• get some skaters/riders to look over the plans carefully and make sure they are happy with the design
• provide shade
• get some programs and clinics going for when it opens
• consider finding someone with skater cred to undertake the maintenance and be the main contact for the park
• look at ways to have refreshments at the space rather than everyone needing to head off to the shops for something to eat and drink
• get the youth services deeply involved in the running of the space
• don't try to drop skate terms in conversation because skaters will think you are trying too hard to be cool when you obviously are not
• check and clean the space daily and clean it well - keep it looking good
• listen to the users and promote a good attitude and culture for the space
• talk to schools about running programs for students - safe use etc
• skaters may want full access 100% of the time without allowing for other uses such as events (sound right?) and this will need to be managed
• create provision for temporary artwork displays
• make it look good for filming because apparently skaters like to film, a lot
• try to have more than one performance space

That covers the main points. It was interesting that most of the issues that came up were around how to manage the space once it was opened and that it was good to have a balance of structured activities and helpful supervision without being around all the time. This is something we had not given much thought to yet and welcome any suggestions Canberra young people have.

Visit to Melbourne

Later this week Lea Durie from PCL will be travelling to Melbourne to visit youth recreation facilities in Geelong and the city and to talk with Convic and relevant Council staff. Information gathered from this visit will inform the design development and construction quality control for this project.

If there is anything in particular you think should be looked at on this trip please let us know.

Photos will be posted here next week. None will be of Lea trying to ride a skateboard.

As a P.S. - two new links have been added to the side bar - Why Skateparks leads to an interesting article on the value of these facilities.

Thanks

We really wished we had set up the comments differently at the start - this is wonderful. Keep those comments coming.

update overdue

Firstly I apologise to all for the lack of information over the past several weeks - I have been on much needed holidays.

In that time Convic Design have been contracted by Manteena, the project managers, to develop the design further - to a stage where it is ready for construction.

Manteena have engaged a local cost planner to review the project and provide a full estimate of construction cost. This will be used over the next week, we hope, to finalise the project scope.

There has also been some comments expressing some disappointment about the revised design posted at Easter. It is helpful to get this feedback because even though we do need to scale the project back - we need to scale back the bits least important to you and make sure we keep the most interesting bits - within reason of course. The comments received are being used to keep modifying the design and here are some images of the latest revised plan from a few days ago.

Again we will (hopefully later today) be posting a better resolution image of the design on the TaMS website.

Recently we asked if you thought the blog was a worthwhile tool - and only got 3 responses, however the site hits tell another story. In response to one comment about the nuisance of having to log in to leave a comment we have removed this requirement as a trial. This also means that comments can be left anonymously - but please consider leaving an identify sign as some kind - even your skateboard.com.au sign-in if you have one. Inflamatory or offensive comments and personal attacks will be deleted or edited.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Concept finalised

We know you have been waiting for a look at the revised plans and are pleased to say they are here. Please take time to read the last sheet which outlines where all your comments have been incorporated - we are sure you will be amazed at all the little and big changes that have been made.

In response to local skaters and riders input the concept now includes a bowled end with escalating wall, deeper bowl depths at the center of the flow area and quarter pipe/flat bank returns at each end of the street course area.

We do still have a way to go to resolve the final design with the biggest issue fitting the design to our budget while including all the aspects of a youth facililty we have discussed. The design is being costed in more detail at the moment and this will help us to make some decisions on what we can include over the next couple of weeks.

The plans will be up here at a better resolution straight after easter.

In the meantime we welcome further feedback via this blog or emailed to lea.durie@act.gov.au.

Project Manager Appointed

It has been a little quiet here, however, there has been much activity behind the scenes.

Manteena have been appointed to project manage the detail design and construction of the youth space. Manteena have completed many projects in Canberra including a large proportion of open space work. We are excited to have them on board for this project.

Convic have been working on the final concept plans and we should have them today. The plans will be posted as soon as they are available. Further comments are welcome.

We are also trying to evaluate if having a project blog is a valuable tool for consultation and information sharing. It is a bit hard to determine as we haven't been getting comments on the blog - but are getting quite a number of visits. We are receiving a number of comments via direct email. To work out if people are finding the blog useful we need feedback. Please leave a comment here or if you prefer email lea.durie@act.gov.au.