Location: Alfred Cox park, Gisborne Tairāwhiti
Timeframe: 2015 - ongoing
Cost: $3,000,000

Te Ao - The context

In 1956, a concrete roller skate rink was installed in Alfred Cox Park. Over time, additions were made to the facility including a half- pipe in 2005, which had limited community engagement around the design.

Mauri - What created the spark

With maintenance costs continuing to increase as the facility became increasingly run down, and with the facility no longer being seen as fit for purpose by the skating community, key community members (now named the Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust) made a submission as part of the 2015 Long Term Plan for the upgrade of the park. They saw an opportunity for the park to better reflect the growing reputation of the Tairāwhiti as the ‘surf and skate capital’ to increase the wellbeing of rangatahi and the wider community, and attract, inspire and support future athletes.

Hononga - The organisations that made it happen

• Youth engagement: Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust
• Design: Rich Landscapes and Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust
• Cultural guidance: Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust

More information

https://www.facebook.com/tairawhitiadventuretrust/photos/? ref=page_internal

Alfred Cox Skatepark is a bustling world-class community space - where new and young riders of all ages come together.

Yet it wasn't always a high-spec space.

In 2015, a redevelopment process began, led by Tairāwhiti Adventure Trust. Their intent was simple: inject some love into this community space and make it a place everyone could be proud of.

Located in the heart of Gisborne, Tairāwhiti, the popular park now showcases how a co-design process with rangatahi can bring about community-wide change for good.

This is the story of how rangatahi and their community have helped shape the transformation of this skatepark into a world class venue.