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We Skate Pōneke

Skating is a creative, healthy and social activity that makes Pōneke more interesting. We’re exploring ways we can create a more skate-friendly city.

 

We Skate Pōneke 2024 Campaign

In 2022, our first We Skate Pōneke campaign showcased the diverse range of people who skate in Pōneke, and all the different benefits they get from it.

This year, our new campaign is all about making space for skate in the city, and celebrating the positive benefits that street skating brings to Wellington. We’ve created three pop-up skate installations to bring more energy and vitality to popular city spots. These installations have been designed and built by local skate legend Kyle O’Regan.

Pop-up skate installations

The three skate installations will be up until Friday 3 May 2024.

A skateboarder at Queens Wharf.

Queens Wharf

The space at Queens Wharf features a triangle kicker, blast ramp box and manual pad. View on Google Maps.

Skateboard ramps at Civic Square.

Te Ngākau Civic Square

At Te Ngākau there’s a blast ramp, manual pad, and a rail. View on Google Maps.

A skateboarder at Michael Fowler carpark.

Michael Fowler Centre carpark

We’ve added coping to two edges of the existing seating here. View on Google Maps.

Pōneke loves skaters

Skating makes our city better in so many different ways. We sat down with a range of Wellingtonians to learn how skating benefits them and their community.

Read Kyle's story
Read Gala's story
Read Jed's story
Read Jay and Jivan's story

I gravitated towards art and skateboarding because they're both creative and I discovered I could mix the two together.

Kyle O'Regan - artist and builder

If you skate past a little girl on the street and she sees you, she's gonna be like, ‘That’s awesome’.

Gala Baumfield - student/creative

Skaters increase the liveliness of an area, and that in turn helps retail and hospitality.

Jed Wright - Manager, Entrepreneur, DJ

Sometimes going for a skate is less about the actual skating, and more about just clearing my head and relaxing.

Jay Blair - Skater

Skate community feedback

In early 2020, we wanted to learn more about the needs of the skate community so we engaged with over 800 representatives to understand their demographics, behaviours and future needs to develop a skate plan.

Overall, this highlighted that the Wellington skate community simply want to skate more and be accepted by the public. There is a history of negative stigma around skateboarding, and we want to challenge and break down these negative stereotypes.

As a Council, we stand and support positive change to increase public acceptance and awareness of skating.

2020 Skate engagement report (1.1KB PDF)

Contact us

For more information about this initiative, contact us at: wellingtoncityskate@wcc.govt.nz