The new competition-standard half-pipe at Belconnen skatepark is another step closer.

With off-site fabrication underway, construction has now started on site to expand the skatepark alongside the legendary ‘Belco Bowl’.

Fencing of the site has been completed with works over the coming weeks to include demolition activities to provide access to site and earthworks to start preparing the area for the future half-pipe.

Towards the middle of the year, the concrete slab will be poured and the prefabricated metal and wooden ramps will be brought to site and pieced together.

The new half-pipe is expected to open to the public early in the second half of 2024.

The Canberra Skateboarding Association and Canberra BMX Club have called for improvements to Canberra skate parks.

The city’s skate culture is already strong, and the sport is growing in popularity.

Belconnen is Canberra’s best-known skatepark and already considered world-class by many enthusiasts.

Also known as a vertical or vert ramp, the new half-pipe will take ACT skating to another level, growing the city’s appeal to both national and international skaters.

Young Canberra skater and international competitor Katie Pike is excited about the development.

“I’m really looking forward to having a competition vert ramp in my home skatepark,” she said.

“That will help me out a lot because obviously I have to travel to Sydney to skate competition vert ramps and now that we have one in Canberra it will be a lot easier. Instead of having to travel most weeks I can just train five minutes away from home.”

Joel Bliss, another local skater, is also enthusiastic.

“I’ve been waiting, I think, my whole Canberra skating life for this moment,” he said.

“The first sessions are going to be amazing. I’ll probably just drop in and roll around for a while to get used to it. Because these ramps are big! The vert ramps we are used to around here are like mini ramps in comparison to this actual proper-sized ramp, so the speed you get on these things is just a thing in itself.

“It’s going to be unreal and there will be skaters from all over Australia that will come when they hear about it. It’s going to be a good thing. I can’t wait,” Joel said.

The ACT Government manages seven skateparks and another 12 parks that feature skating facilities across Canberra.

These cater not only to skateboarders but also cyclists, scooters, rollerbladers and rollerskaters.

“I think it’s really good and I think it will help with the progression of skating in Canberra,” Katie said.

The competition-standard half-pipe is funded by both the ACT Government and the Australian Government under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

Joel Bliss can't wait for the new half-pipe to be completed.

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