New skate plaza to transform skateboarding in Finsbury Park

Skateboarders are to benefit from improved facilities in the heart of north London as Haringey Council announces exciting plans for a new skate plaza in Finsbury Park.

The project, a partnership between Haringey Council and the Friends of Finsbury Park, will see Haringey Council invest £145k in a new multi-use skate plaza, which will provide new and inclusive skating opportunities for seasoned skaters and newcomers alike.

The plaza, which will feature moveable skate obstacles including kickers, manual pad, kerb and wallie rail, will also be suitable for other wheeled activities such as roller-skating, rollerblading and entry level cycling and skating.

The new skate plaza has been made possible thanks to the income generated by the council through hosting major events in Finsbury Park, including the annual Wireless Festival. The council receives around £1.2 million from events annually, all of which is reinvested directly into maintaining and improving the park.

Work is now underway on seeking tenders from contractors for the construction of the skate plaza, which it is hoped will be open to the public by spring 2024.

Cllr Emily Arkell, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities and Leisure, said:

“I’m delighted that, after listening carefully to the voices of our residents and park users, we have settled on an exciting plan for the future of Finsbury Park’s skate plaza. I’d like to thank all the skate park users who responded to our consultations, and I look forward to continuing to work together with them as we make these plans a reality.

“In Haringey, we have ambitious plans to deliver a high-quality Parks Service for all our residents. This project shows how the council can work together with Friends groups and park users to make our wonderful parks and greenspaces even better.

“It’s also a great example of the benefits that hosting major events bring to Finsbury Park, as this project would not have been possible without the significant income that these provide.”

The design for the new skate plaza was selected through an online poll of skate park users in which they were asked to select from two designs.

The winning design involves creating a new multi-use skate plaza on the hardstanding next to the existing skatepark through the installation of new skateable modular obstacles. This option was overwhelmingly favoured by park users, receiving 355 votes (61%), compared with 230 votes (39%) for the alternative option.

Both design options were created following extensive engagement with local residents and park users.

Find out more about the project and the winning design option on our Commonplace site.