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Lismore is gearing up to become a major hub for skateboarding and action sports with the construction of a state-of-the-art, Olympic-standard skatepark. The $3.9 million project, fully funded by the NSW Government, will transform the city’s skate scene, offering a cutting-edge facility for skaters, BMX riders, and other wheeled athletes.
Spearheaded by award-winning developers CONVIC, the 2,400m² concrete park will be a hybrid of both street and park featuring bowls, a covered mini ramp, and a custom rail dedicated to local skate legend Travis Watson. The park itself will be situated within Lismore’s CBD, providing easy access to the local skaters, young skaters, and tourists.
Set to be a significant upgrade from the former skatepark on Victoria Street by the Wilsons River, which has been permanently closed, the new facility addresses the deterioration caused by flooding and time.
“This will be a game-changer for our young people, who will no longer have to travel to Goonellabah to skate,” said Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg. “With skating now an Olympic sport, this high-standard park puts Lismore on the map for competitions and training.”
Beyond benefiting local skaters, the new skatepark is expected to drive tourism and boost Lismore’s economy. Major national competitions are already in the works, promising to bring visitors and business to local shops, restaurants, and hotels.
Community collaboration has been at the heart of this project from the start. CONVIC worked closely with local skate shops, community members, and key figures in council to ensure the design reflects the needs and aspirations of Lismore’s skating community. Multiple workshops were held with skaters, riders, and industry professionals, including Olympic skateboarding judge Renton Millar, to create a space that caters to both grassroots and elite-level athletes. State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:
"I have faith that expert contractors CONVIC will produce a skatepark which will attract elite skaters in future competitions and also be accessible for local youth keen to take up the sport."
While collaborating to cater to the needs of the local community and events, flood resilience has also been a priority. Given Lismore’s history with severe weather, the park is being built with a 400mm ballast rock layer beneath the concrete, allowing water to drain efficiently and preventing long-term damage. “This is the most flood-resilient skatepark we’ve ever built,” said CONVIC’s Shannon McNamara. “It’s designed to withstand extreme conditions while maintaining performance and durability.”
The new development is set to cater to more than just the community, and the plans reflect that world class standard. The main things to note is the hybridisation of street and park features, with a seamless integration of bowls, ramps, boxes, and rails. A lot can be derived from the proposed renders, and we can see the Olympic influence.
The bowls are clearly built to purpose, and while the whole section conforms to the pool style, the shape looks to cater to the many different skill levels and styles. The geometry of the bowl allows for fluid runs of varying heights and angles, with a key feature being the inconspicuous halfpipe tucked in the back.
The street section shows the attention to detail in the design. There are ramps to start runs with clear lines for rails, manual ramps, hubbas, gaps, and many more. You can see there are clear lines for those looking to experiment with individual runs, and the flow of the design caters to a large space for many skaters to perform.
The most interesting feature seems to be the monolithic structure between the two sections, sporting a looped hole that seamlessly integrates into the bowl. We aren't quite sure of how many ways this can be used, but we are excited to see what happens next.
