Visit 4 - Stairs & Jerseys

To start with I'll clear something up. 
I heard a rumour from 2 people in the past week that the bowl had been completed. I can confirm that the transitions have indeed been completed but, the flat bottom is not yet pored and I expect that this will be one of the final sections in the park to be completed.
I entered to find that the platforms around the bowl are near complete and the large section of 'crete between the bowl and steps has been pored. Also the two Jersey barriers are up and the steps, handrail, banks and Wembley gap (Euro gap to the kids!) are looking good but still under construction.

At this point I will reiterate the comment made on the Bury St. Edmunds Skatepark Experience Facebook page: 

Please do not attempt to enter the site. 
It is a construction site and therefore a dangerous place for anyone not wearing the appropriate protective equipment or is unfamiliar with the site. Also, it would be a great shame if our new park were spoilt in any way, at this stage, after so much work. There will be large sections of concrete that may looks solid, but are in fact still very soft and not yet set.  

As some of the 'crete was obviously wet, I stayed off and made my way around the perimeter of the built up section on the mud and grass. 

The hand rail looks a good height, not too high, but nice and long and the blocks at this end appear to be a good range of sizes. Good for learning those hammers you want to throw on the streets.

As I walked round between the bowl and pump track, I was struck by how deep the deep end actually is. This thing is going to be so much fun! 

A start has been made on shaping the rest of the park but it's only in it's infancy at this stage. 
In short: It'a all looking good! 

Visit 3 - CONCRETE!

This was the view I was met by when I got out of the car at the site this morning, and what a sight. Concreting has begun!

The extended corner being sculpted after a fresh pore this morning

I had seen one of Reece's Instagram photos taken at the weekend from outside the site fence showing a small section of concrete in place in the bowl. I had to get down and see what progress had been made from a closer viewpoint.

 As you can see, all of the bowls shallow transitions have been completed with only the deep end and flat sections to be pored. 

The shallow end is looking very smooth 

I'm very excited about this hip

Very high quality finish below the coping

Chatting to the crew, it was clear that the rain has not caused any problems with the concreting so far, but it has made walking around the site very difficult! 

2 - The Bowl Progresses

Today I finally got to visit the site again. Due to work commitments & illness I have not been able to visit as regularly as first promised and although the workforce had given up any hope of working after such rain, I was allowed in to take a good look around.
The bowl coping has nearly been completed with all sections of the deep end, extension, escalator, raised corner and all hips in place. Just one straight section is missing from the shallow end. All welds look to be of a very high quality and the deep end is looking good and big on the extension side, this looks to be quite a wall! The ledge next to the deep end of the bowl - one of the late additions to the design is also being prepared.
People waiting for news on other sections of the park may be waiting for some time as the original path from the old entrance is still being used for access and this probably won't change for the foreseeable. Here's a few photos of the bowl and surroundings.

1 - My First Visit

This is a new blog I'm putting together to update you on the progress of the new skatepark under construction in Bury St. Edmunds following each weekly site visit by the project committee. This new concrete park is being created by Wheelscape Ltd. on the same site as the original park at Olding Road, IP33 3TA following approximately 5 years of planning.

At this stage the plot has been levelled and the bowl pit is being dug out.
I understand the welder will be at the site next week to start work on setting coping sections around the park, but for now, here are some shots of a muddy pit that will eventually become Bury's new skatepark. It feels really good to say that.

#uk #skateboarding #skatepark #construction #burystedmunds #suffolk