SINGAPORE — Skateboarders of all skill levels will be able to practise their tricks at Singapore’s largest skate park located in Lakeside Garden, with five skate pods catering to different groups of riders.

The Learn to Skate Pod for beginners has gentler slopes, while the Big Bowl Pod for experienced skaters has steeper drops and is up to 2.5m deep.

“Many stakeholders shared that they would prefer a skate park with options for progression and training. This informed the skate typology and design of the five skate pods,” the National Parks Board (NParks) said. The nearly 17,000 sq m skate park is one of the highlights of the 7ha northern section of Lakeside Garden, which opened on Saturday (April 1).

Lakeside Garden, the Garden Promenade, and the Chinese and Japanese Gardens make up Jurong Lake Gardens. The Garden Promenade will be developed together with the new Science Centre and is set to open in 2027, while the redeveloped Chinese and Japanese Gardens are expected to be ready in 2024.

During the first phase of Lakeside Garden’s opening in 2019, a nature play garden, water play area and wetland trails were opened. NParks said the garden has received around 17 million visitors so far.

For the new section of the garden, NParks said the amenities are youth-oriented and were developed following consultations with sports interest groups in the community.

PARKOUR AREA, BOULDERING WALL

The largest of the skate pods in Lakeside Garden is the Plaza Pod, which measures more than 900 sq m and is sheltered for all-weather use.

Based on feedback from riders, the park was designed with wider footpaths, and each of the pods has a small shelter for shade.

NParks also put up skate park etiquette boards with conditions of use, such as the requirement for safety equipment.

The boards also include recommendations for users. At the Mini Bowl Pod – which is meant for beginners and those at the intermediate level – the board advises riders to start at the mini ramp area first.

Meanwhile, the board at the Big Bowl Pod says skaters should first be confident in the Mini Bowl Pod.

The skate park also has a pump track, a parkour area and a bouldering wall.

The 280m-long pump track is 2m wide, with humps for skateboarders or BMX bicycle riders to practise on. Parkour enthusiasts can hang from bars, scale walls and jump off platforms in the 334 sq m section of the park.The 3m-high bouldering wall is 9m long and has a 90-degree angle.

OTHER FACILITIES

The northern section of Lakeside Gardens also includes the Rainforest Pavilion, Lakeside Green, Lakeside Plaza and Lakeside House, where there is a Starbucks outlet, toilets and a service kiosk.

The Rainforest Pavilion houses the Ride Side Skate Café, which will sell food, drinks, skateboards and other equipment when it opens in early April. It will also rent out boards and offer skateboarding lessons.

Lakeside Green is a lawn area next to the lake that can be used as a venue for performances and events. NParks said the 4,000 sq m lawn has a capacity of around 1,000 people.

Lakeside Plaza is one of the main entrances to the garden and is a three-minute walk from Lakeside MRT Station.

SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

NParks said the Rainforest Pavilion was constructed using mass-engineered timber, a material sourced from sustainably managed forests that has improved structural integrity.

“Due to its pre-fabricated nature, (mass-engineered timber) buildings can be built four times faster than a concrete building, with less noise, machinery and waste,” NParks said.

Footpaths in the northern section of Lakeside Garden were also mostly made using a type of concrete that captures carbon dioxide and improves the strength of the material, while solar panels were installed on the roof of the sheltered skate pod.

Vegetated ponds near the skate park collect water, which will be used for irrigation in the garden. CNA