Why invest
There is a growing awareness amongst leaders and community groups that wheelparks are more than just another type of sports facility.
They are a way to stimulate a richer urban life, opening up connections to heritage, health, community, art, commerce and innovative design.
Community benefits
A world-class wheelpark will provide a community hub, allowing people of all ages to be active.
It will let the world see that Bristol is capable of hosting world-class sporting events.
Physical
health
Investing in a wheelpark will provide facilities where young people can develop a healthy lifestyle.
Research shows wheel-based sports provide a better cardio workout than organised sports like football.
Mental
health
Wheel-based sports uniquely develop parts of the brain which combine extreme physical exertion with precise muscle coordination and balance.
Riders also learn a range of secondary skills applicable for the rest of their lives including motivation, determination and socialising.
Economic benefits
A world-class wheelpark will attract visitors to the area, encouraging them to spend money and support businesses.
The facilities will raise the profile of the city, making it a destination people are proud to call home.
Benefits and outcomes
There are around 50 million active skateboarders worldwide and 750,000 in the UK.
Learning to ride and converse at a wheelpark leads to increased sense of independence, autonomy, social skills, self-confidence, friendship and peer group status.
All of this promotes social cohesion, allowing diverse people of all different backgrounds the opportunity to develop substantial and meaningful relationships, and so can make a major contribution to the well- being and prosperity of our communities.
The timeline
2019
St George Skatepark is in a state of disrepair.
Inspired by news that skateboarding is going to feature in the 2021 Olympics, plans start to build a world-class wheelpark for Bristol.
2020
A working group is formed with key stakeholders to drive the idea forward, secure funding, get plans drawn up and make the idea a reality.
Skateboarding features in the Olympics for the first time in Tokyo.
2021 - 2023
Fundraising events continue. The project gets worldwide support from the wheelpark community.
Work gets underway to build a world-class wheelpark for Bristol.
2025
Bristol’s world-class wheelpark opens.
Skateboarding features in the Olympics in Paris.
A teenager from Bristol competes in the gold medal final at the Olympics...