Work is due to begin this week on the refurbishment of Shirley Ponds Skate Park, transforming the ageing steel skate facility into a more durable concrete skate park for local people.

The existing skate park has reached the end of its practical service life and Southampton City Council is investing £250,000 in replacing the current steel ramps and features with reinforced concrete structures, using the existing layout as the basis for the new construction.

The new concrete features will be created using the existing ramps as a mold to hold and shape the concrete until it sets. Contractors will temporarily move the ramps while the current surface is broken up and re-laid after which the refurbished obstacles will be reinstalled. This method has been developed using the experience gained from the recently completed skate park project at Hoglands Park, which also saw the replacement of the ageing steel structure with a new concrete layout.

The improvements, which are part of the council’s wider parks and play investment programme, are expected to provide a better riding experience and a more durable facility for local people while also reducing future maintenance requirements.

While the works are taking place, the children’s play area will remain open and pedestrian access through the park will be maintained. The adjacent multi-use games area (MUGA) will be temporarily closed and incorporated into the contractor’s working area, and there will be a short period of disruption around the skate park while construction is underway. A temporary access track will also be required to allow construction vehicles into the site.

The council expects the works to take around eight weeks, with completion anticipated by the end of October, however, as with any open air project, this is subject to weather and other conditions.

Councillor Toqeer Kataria, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities said: “It’s great to see work getting underway on the refurbishment of Shirley Ponds Skate Park. These improvements will provide a much better facility for local skaters and help secure the future of this well-used community asset for many years to come.”

Cliff Brown, Landscape Development Officer at Southampton City Council, said: “The existing steel skate park has reached the end of its service life. This project will transform the facility into a reinforced concrete skate park, providing a longer-lasting and more sustainable facility while maintaining access to the wider park throughout the works.”