An amendment to the Council’s Long-term Plan (LTP) is underway, and the park’s upgrade is being considered in light of funding constraints. A final decision about how the project will proceed will be made by mid-2025 once the LTP amendment process is completed.
About the project
This project is part of a broader programme of Council work focused on supporting skate in Wellington.
In March 2024, skatepark specialist company Convic held workshops with the skate community and local schools, and ran an online survey. Feedback from this engagement is informing the design of the skatepark and youth space.
The goal is to design beyond the skatepark, to ensure Kilbirnie Park is functional as a key urban green space that serves the local area, provides a unique destination for Wellingtonians and visitors, and accounts for other initiatives outlined in the masterplan.
“A skatepark is much more than just a concrete slab with a few obstacles. It’s a community space for hanging out and catching up with friends, and it can be an iconic colourful piece of art that represents your culture, community and identity.”
- Convic
Along with Convic we are working with Baked Design, mana whenua-appointed designers.
Kilbirnie Park final concept design report (11.6MB PDF)
For more information about the project, and to view the relevant documents, visit the Kilbirnie Park open space upgrade page on Kōrero Mai I Let's Talk, our engagement platform.
Project priorities
- Design and deliver the skatepark and outdoor youth space.
- Update the community play space, and additional informal play spaces around the sportsfields.
- Work with mana whenua on ways to celebrate Ākau Tangi Pā.
- Improve the path network and parking.
Timeline
- Final concept design – late 2024
- Developed and detailed design – 2025
- Park construction – 2025/2026
Background
In 2023, Isthmus Group was engaged to prepare a masterplan for Kilbirnie Park as directed by the Suburban Reserves Management Plan.
This process was also informed by a 2021 council decision to allocate $1.5M from the Charles Plimmer Bequest. The bequest requires that the money is used for beautification of open spaces in Wellington.
In 2022, following the results of a Wellington city skate feasibility study, a further $5.64M was allocated to support development of a new skatepark within Kilbirnie Park. The masterplan considered how the skatepark could be integrated into the park, including how it might align with provision of space for a range of play and active recreation activities. Traffic flow, parking provision and site configuration was also considered.
After significant engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders and the community, the masterplan was completed at the end of 2023. It provides a guiding framework for future development of the park over time. Funding for the project has been approved through the Council’s 2024-34 Long-term Plan process. However, the total budget for the project of $8.14M is subject to the final business case and decisions following the LTP amendment that will be finalised in mid-2025.