Within the local Essex extreme sports community, the option for skateparks with a safe environment is slim but plans are in place to begin developing these sports facilities to aid in the development of young skaters. Within the past couple years, we have seen a resurgence in the popularity of these sports most notably skateboarding yet, these facilities in place have not been touched since initial developments were made in the early 2000’s.

Since this time, the entire skateboarding scene has been subject to a massive shift in the style, community and support skateboarding has received from sports institutions. One of the most notable examples of this is the addition of skateboarding to the Olympics. Although there were skateboarding competitions ever since the sport began it has never been fully recognised as a form of “sport” from the general population. Local Skaters have chalked up this newfound interest in developing Olympic level skateparks across the country to the sport finally being recognised for the skills and general athleticism needed to do the types of things some of these skateboarders do.

This development of Wivenhoe skatepark is very similar to the building of a new skatepark in a very new estate in Chelmsford. Nicknamed “channels” by the locals this new skatepark is in the middle of a building site currently developing a large suburban neighbourhood, even though Chelmsford has arguably one of the best skateparks in Essex.

After Talking to a local skater and Filmer who has been to all of these locations we begin to understand what the skaters in the local areas would like and what is currently missing from the scene.  After interviewing a local skateboarder ‘Alec D'Arcy Jones’ who is heavily involved within the local skate scene in Colchester he claimed that the local skate scene was “on a decline” from what it used to be, however the new skatepark is going to breathe “new life” into the scene and inspire more young skateboarders to go out and skate. When asked what skateparks he would like to see included “Marks Tey and Maldon” just to name a few.