Finding a new location for the Jaarbeursplein skate park turned out to be no easy feat

It is not easy to find an alternative location for the Jaarbeursplein skate park. In the long run, this place will have to make way for a new building, and because of its success, the municipality wants to build a similar place in or outside the station area.

The skate park on Jaarbeursplein was opened in 2019. At that time it was already known that it would be a temporary use, because at some point the Jaarbeursplein building would be erected on the same place. In October of this year, it was announced that the skate park on Jaarbeursplein would remain in use for at least two more summers, because work on the new building was delayed.

Success

Sliders use the park a lot and the municipality says it is happy with this success. It would be a good example of how sports in public places can be given a “smart place” in the city. Therefore, the municipality is committed to preserving the job.

Therefore, in the past two years, alternative sites have been searched. Initially, this was done near Beurskwartier and the future of Lombokplein because skaters would already take advantage of the public space here to skate. It takes place at Rabobank, Forum and Fietsbrug, among others. “Unfortunately, no suitable alternative site has been found here for a ski facility of the same size,” according to the municipality.

Prince Claus Bridge

After that, the search was moved to places outside the station area. “It’s not easy to find a space here that a skate park of a similar size could land in.” A site that might qualify is the place below the Prince Claus Bridge on the Papendorp side. Skate Utrecht would have said this place was “promising”, but there are doubts about its accessibility.

In addition, a final skate park is currently under construction at Willem Alexander Park on the A2 rooftop. This replaces the ski spot at Leidsche Rijn Center and is about a 15-minute bike ride from the Jaarbeursplein.

temporary

In the meantime, the municipality continues to search for suitable sites, including the station area. “These could also be new temporary sites.” The current skate park could therefore remain on the Jaarbeursplein for at least two years. Construction of the Jaarbeursplein building is expected to begin at the end of 2024 or early 2025.