Architectural designs of the upgrades to Masterton’s skate park. IMAGES/SUPPLIED
MARCUS ANSELM
Design alterations for the $1 million upgrade of Masterton’s skate park were floated at a consultation with skaters on the weekend.
Mayor Lyn Patterson and councillor Gary Caffell facilitated the discussions which also involved the project designer Richard Smith, of RICH Landscapes.
Feedback from the group would influence some of the updates to designs.
They may include sheltered areas to guard against Wairarapa’s variable weather conditions, and alterations to ramps.
The original design included three box jumps for BMX riders.
That may be changed to one bigger one after an idea from a local rider.
Smith said the recent “shovel ready” funding for the park [$1.3m] announced last month would speed up progress on the project.
He was aiming to have his design work complete by January, with Masterton District Council aiming for an autumn start to construction.
“We’re still utilising the old concrete slab and making the most of it without ripping it all out and starting again. “There’s still used value in that asset.”
A condition of the funding was that the project should be ready to go within 12 months.
RICH Landscapes has planned and designed dozens of parks across New Zealand, Australia, and China.
The company also revealed designs for the upgrade to Upper Hutt’s Maidstone Park track this week.
Smith said the $1.3m budget, boosted by central government coffers, was not unusual.
“We’ve got other projects around the $1m mark as well.
“In more recent times, we’re getting larger parks built right across New Zealand, which is great.
“For Masterton, it was great, as it may have taken them a while to source all that funding.
“So, to get it in one big hit, that money was really great for the community.”
-NZLDR
