Skaters in Khayelitsha now have a new, safe space to enjoy their sport thanks to a new DIY skate park!
Khayelitsha, South Africa (18 October 2023)—Following the warmly welcomed revamping of the Pimville Skate Park Project in Johannesburg, Khayelitsha has followed suit!
The new Red Bull DIY skate park is a welcome addition to other developments in the area and will exist as a safe haven for skaters to practice, flourish, fall and maybe even follow in the skate steps of South Africa’s greats like Jean-Marc Johannes.
The project’s success is a win both for free and public spaces that exist as a place for dream building and talent sharing, as well as a win for knitting together the skating community.
Pieter Retief, DIY expert and skater himself, explains, “The Khayelitsha project is ongoing for two years now and this space is a new addition to the previous area we built at in Harare neighbourhood.”
30 local skaters will now have access to a state-of-the-art skate park where there was previously no infrastructure, shares Retief.
In addition to the successful completion of the project, a local skate crew in Khayelitsha have been instrumental in driving the skate scene in the area, encouraging the sport for others to embrace.
The skate crew includes skaters Asakhe Shaun Ditolo, Oluhle Dash Nkebe, Thando Blom, Sandla Majija, Levi Zisiwe, Aviwe Bathandwa, and Chulumanco Chris Diniso.
Looking ahead, there are future plans to continue supporting the skateboarding community in the Khayelitsha/Western Cape region. A larger skate park project is on the horizon, pending permission for an earmarked space, which will further enhance the skateboarding scene in the area.
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