Tuggeranong’s young local BMX riders hope a heritage listing for the skatepark will save the high ramps. Photo: Tuggeranong Skatepark BMX, Facebook.
The proponents behind a nomination for Tuggeranong Skatepark to be heritage listed have revealed themselves – and they’re a group of local kids.
Every Friday night, as many as 30 kids aged three-years and up, practise their BMX moves on the skatepark’s ramps under the watchful guidance of self-confessed “boring skatepark dad” Robin Brown.
It’s entirely free – and even comes with a barbecue dinner.
“How many sports provide that?” he says.
Beyond the food, the kids are here because there’s nowhere else for them.
“There is actually a very significant difference in the more modern skateparks we’ve got in Belconnen and Woden, which are largely designed for street riding, and the skateparks with the big ramps that we need to do big tricks in the air, like double backflips and tail whips,” Mr Brown explains.
You need a lot of air for these jumps. Photo: Tuggeranong Skatepark BMX, Facebook.
“The geometry of the ramps is also different. Skateboarders want a tighter ramp, versus a BMX rider who wants … those six, seven, eight-foot ramps.”
He says this is why, at its latest meeting, the ACT Heritage Council had a new heritage-listing nomination to discuss.
The council, under the ACT Government, “helps to recognise, protect, conserve and celebrate the unique heritage places and objects in the ACT”.
For a location to be considered for the heritage register, it must “be important for shaping the ACT’s cultural or natural history”, “represent a creative or technical achievement for a specific time”, “hold strong social, cultural or spiritual connection with the ACT community or a cultural group”, and “have a special connection with the life or work of individuals important to ACT history”, among other criteria.
After deliberating on it for the past eight years, the council recently added the Erindale Brick Banks to the register, as a popular location used by skateboarders since the 1970s.
The Canberra Skateboarding Association (CSA) welcomed this decision, as “a spot that has appeared in countless international skateboarding videos and magazines spanning decades” and been visited by famous American skateboarder Tony Hawk.
“We worked hard on this [nomination],” CSA vice-president Brenden Wood (Woody) told Region.
“We gathered historical photos and testimonials from international pro skateboarders, skateboarding media and others.”
But the suggestion Tuggeranong Skatepark should join the Brick Banks on the register has proven more divisive, with Mr Wood describing it as “a mistake”.
“We respectfully request that you consider rejecting the heritage nomination to ensure the Tuggeranong community is not deprived of a much-needed upgraded skatepark after years of dedicated advocacy,” the association’s submission to the council reads.
Robin Brown says the lessons are about mentoring kids in more than BMX skills. Photo: Tuggeranong Skatepark BMX, Facebook.
Mr Brown, however, argues the heritage listing won’t rule out any redevelopment further down the track – but will mean the government will have to retain the skatepark’s “current values”.
“The kids were concerned that if a redevelopment occurred, the government would not deliver a park with the challenge elements it currently has,” he says.
“They were concerned they would not have a voice.”
Mr Brown “accidentally” discovered the Tuggeranong Skatepark’s following when he took his then-four-year-old son there to practise his BMX moves.
“It’s very different than going on the 10 to 30 km mountain bike rides we were doing at the time, because on those, you’re only ever going over each element once, and don’t really have the opportunity to hone your skills.”
He says the “more formal get-togethers” he helps to organise every Friday night have had other positive flow-on effects too.
“A key focus of our program is mentoring young riders – not just to build their BMX skills but also to support them in staying positive and focussed on life after school, career development, and employment opportunities.
“Impressively, some of our young riders have even started their own BMX brand – Impulse – and they’re now organising and hosting their own events, complete with merchandise and live music from local bands.”
One, Sarah Nicki, aged 18, has gone on to become a two-times Elite Women’s National Champion and four-times Oceania Champion in freestyle BMX.
Mr Brown freely admits he assisted with the heritage nomination process, but the work has “come from them”.
“It was driven and submitted by passionate school-aged athletes.”
Despite how long it took for the council to make a decision on the Erindale Brick Banks, Mr Brown isn’t concerned about the length of time this nomination takes.
“I’m in no rush at all. I respect that these processes take time.”
The community can submit feedback to the ACT Heritage Council through the ACT Government website.
