Hybrid skateboarding park to come up at Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park
The park will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crore on a half-acre plot within the Bal Bhavan premises. Due to space constraints, the facility will combine both ‘street’ and ‘park’ skating elements into a single hybrid skateboarding park
An international-standard hybrid skateboarding park is set to be developed at Jawahar Bal Bhavan in Cubbon Park with the aim of providing a well-equipped practice facility for skateboarders and nurturing Olympic-level talent from Karnataka.
The project is being jointly undertaken by the Jawahar Bal Bhavan Society and the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports. The park will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1.5 crore on a half-acre plot within the Bal Bhavan premises. Due to space constraints, the facility will combine both ‘street’ and ‘park’ skating elements into a single hybrid skateboarding park.
According to the plan, the park section will feature half and quarter pipes, fun boxes, ledges, bowls, snake runs and a structure resembling an empty swimming pool with steep edges, enabling skaters to perform grabs and spins. The street section will include rails and stair elements, allowing skaters to practise street-style tricks.
The skate park will be open to anyone above the age of five and can accommodate around 40 skaters at a time. Entry will be permitted only to those with skateboards, and the facility will not allow casual visitors to sit or spend time without skating. Officials said there is also a proposal to rent skateboards to the public on an hourly basis after the park is inaugurated.
Comprehensive skateboarding training will be provided to interested learners through both online and offline modes. Separate fees will be charged for entry, training and skateboard rentals, with detailed tariff information to be announced later, said B.R. Naidu, president of the Jawahar Bal Bhavan Society.
At present, Karnataka does not have any public skateboarding parks. While a few privately owned skate parks exist on the outskirts of Bengaluru, they are poorly connected by public transport and charge high fees, making them inaccessible to the general public.
Officials pointed out that Bal Bhavan offers excellent transport connectivity, including Metro access, and being a government-owned facility, it will provide affordable and open access to all skating enthusiasts. Entry fees are expected to be consumer-friendly.Construction work on the skate park is expected to begin by the end of this month, with the facility likely to be inaugurated by April or May 2026.
Skateboarding enthusiasts have welcomed the initiative, saying that Karnataka has no shortage of talent if proper infrastructure and training are provided. “If training begins now, the state can produce Olympic-level skateboarders within the next 15 years,” said a skateboarder who did not wish to be named, urging the government to build similar parks in other districts and extend greater support to athletes.
The initiative is also aimed at discouraging skating on busy city roads, which poses safety risks.
By bringing skaters together at a dedicated international-standard facility, the authorities hope to create a safer environment while preparing athletes for competitive skateboarding events at national and global levels,
B.R. Naidu added.
