The need to review the provision and status of skateparks in the Newcastle Local Government Area was identified in Council's Recreation Plan 2006.

This plan outlined that a fresh approach to the management of existing skate facilities was necessary, and encouraged council to look at new ways to embrace skateboards in the public domain.

Skate Park Review

In October 2008 Council started a Skate Park Review. An extensive consultation process saw meetings being held throughout the Newcastle LGA and survey forms completed. These meetings were advertised in the Newcastle Herald, The Star, NBN TV and flyers were distributed to all residents and user groups of each skate park:

Consultations included:

• Open workshop at Netball Administration Building National Park – 50 users and community representatives attended with 15 surveys completed.
• 10 Site Specific consultations – located at each skate park thought the Newcastle LGA – combined attendance of 222 user and community representatives with 175 surveys completed at
• • Monday 12 January 2009 Stockton Skate Park (outside pool)
  • Tuesday 13 January 2009 Empire Park, Memorial Drive, Bar Beach
  • Wednesday 14 January 2009 Islington Park, Maitland Road, Islington
  • Thursday 15 January 2009 Walker Fields, Elermore Vale (behind shopping centre)
  • Friday 16 January 2009 New Lambton Park, Wallarah Road, New Lambton
  • Monday 19 January 2009 Grange Avenue Reserve, Maryland Drive, Maryland
  • Tuesday 20 January 2009 South Newcastle Beach Skate Park
  • Wednesday 21 January 2009 Wallsend Park, Thomas St, Wallsend
  • Thursday 22 January 2009 Dangar Park, Maitland Road, Mayfield
  • Friday 23 January 2009 Heaton Park, Mordue Pde, Jesmond
• Two further information sessions were held at the The Loft and at Wallsend Library. An open forum was conducted where survey results were presented and information regarding the ongoing process of the skate review was provided.
• Ongoing information through the email system through Council's Skate Review E-Newsletter to all participants of the various consultations.

Skate Park Working Party

A working party was formed in April 2009 to continue with the process of the skate park review and allow more detailed analysis. The working party included an equal number of eastern and western sector user and community representatives, Council Recreation Officers and Youth Services Officers. The working party's work has included:

• Establishing a functional hierarchy of Regional, District and Local level skate parks (similar to hierarchy used for sportsgrounds and parks) and the quantity of skate parks under each level.
• Reviewing current skate parks and locations
• Undertaking site analysis, skate park design, cost analysis, and benchmarking
• Included in the site analysis was access (public transportation, cycle ways, etc), surrounding related groups (schools, youth groups), relevant amenity locations (shops, toilets, shade, etc) and current and future demographics predictions, and

Recommendations from the working party were intended to shape the future direction of skate parks for Newcastle and the development of a five year plan to undertake these recommendations.

Public Voice

A Public Voice was presented to Council on 12 May 2009 by a community representation and Council officers regarding the steps and outcomes of the consultant process. A summary of the key outcomes from the skate park survey are:

• Parks rated the best were Dangar Park, Stockton and South Newcastle
• Parks rated the worst were Islington Park, Heaton Park and Empire Park
• Dangar Park had the most residential issues
• Bikes and cars were the most used method of transportation
• In the East and Central areas the preferred riding mode was skateboard, while in the West it was BMX style bikes
• 75% would travel further for a better skate park
• 61% would prefer less skate parks of better quality
• 71% ride areas other than skate parks
• 87% would skate less in other areas if there were better skate parks
• Most users would prefer a skate park that combined street style, bowl and half pipes and improved range and variation.

There were requests for upgrades to:

• South Newcastle
• Empire Park
• Dangar Park
• Elermore Vale
• Wallsend Park
• Maryland
• All skate parks required maintenance and were outdated except for Dangar Skate Park.