The first stage of the groundworks on the eventual site of Falmouth’s skate park have been finished and contractors have now left the site.

A huge flat expanse has been left at the Dracaena Centre site where the skatepark will be built.

The fences are down and people are now free to explore and use the car park in the middle. As part of the project 20 new spaces along the lane and a further 36 spaces in the new car park area have been created.

As time passes this currently muddy brown space will come back to life thanks to a grant from Cornwall Council to rewild part of the area.

Mayor elect Cllr Kirstie Edwards has been working hard to secure separate funds for the last few months, to ensure biodiversity can be increased on the site.

On Friday it was announced that this sub project has been awarded a grant to facilitate its completion, thanks to the Cornwall Council climate and nature fund.

Falmouth Packet: How it is proposed the site will eventually lookHow it is proposed the site will eventually look (Image: Supplied)

Looking from the site from the football field, on the left near the tree line on Dracaena Avenue, is where the skatepark will go, the middle slightly lower section is the new car park and everything to the right and towards the houses is part of the rewilding area - around one third of the site.

Cllr Kirstie Edwards Said “ I am delighted and grateful for the support from the nature and recovery team. An important piece of this project for me, was always about what the site ended up being like after the build.

“I want to create a place people and planet are happy and connected to. You cannot escape the fact we are using concrete on some old prone to flooding grassland- this new habitat will mitigate some of that impact and create new biodiverse spaces for nature to flourish.”

A basketball hoop that sat temporarily where the old skatepark once was. It was always the plan to relocate the basketball court and put in proper provision for this sport at the top of the Dracaena site.

Falmouth Town Council has secured a budget of £15,000 towards this and Cllr Edwards put in an application to sport England for match funds to complete the project.

This project is also being led by Cllr Edwards who is supporting local resident Dom Lily in creating this important new space for the community.

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She said “ It makes total sense for me to be involved with both projects as there is no much overlap- my mission has always been to create as much free to access community sport and support space as we can- this is just the next part of that mission”

The proposed schedule of works is as follows:

NOW

Car park ready to use with temporary surface that will eventually be resurfaced in Phase three.

Wildflower seeding starts on the bund end.

May

Drainage and flooding works- ‘attenuation’ (soakaway) tank and connection fitted. End of groundwork phase. Minimal disruption for three to four days with a small digger.

End June

Instruct contractor to commence the skatepark build and declare budget. Six month lead time needed to book works.

Autumn

Complete part one of biodiversity project at the bund end. Plant 2,000 bulbs ready for spring on the bund, plus hawthorne, blackthorne and other small whips on bunds to create new habitat. New mature trees go in on peripheral edge.

Winter 23-4

Skatepark build starts with an estimated completion date of summer 2024

Summer 24

Park complete, part two of rewilding project commence and complete- new community flower and shrub beds at skatepark and bench end of park, plus hedgehog houses, bee and bug hotels and bird and bat boxes to be installed.

Some made by the community as part of a small project some purchased from local suppliers. Picnic benches installed.

Autumn 2024

Funding applications commence for phase three: infrastructure- road and parking resurfacing and turning circle installation.