Skate pro’s give Mangawhai Park thumbs up

A  few   lucky  young locals could not believe their   eyes  when   a  van load of visiting professional skateboarders dropped into the Mangawhai   skate   park   as part of their NZ tour sponsored  by Monster Children, a high profile Australian skateboard magazine.

American skaters Natas Kaupas, Dylan Reader,  Grayson  Fletcher, Alex Grey, joined Aussies Jack Fardell, Chippa Wilson and transplanted kiwi Ryan Wilson. They  were  all  super impressed   with  the  set- up at Mangawhai saying the two bowls were on a par with anything they have skated.

Camera crew photos and video shot at Mangawhai will be featuring in the  magazine  and  on the Monster Children website.

The two bowls constructed  last year are fast gaining international notoriety. One visiting skater was told in a Perth skate shop  ‘If you’re going to New Zealand  you gotta check out the Mangawhai bowls’.

The park, even though only about one-third  finished has had feature articles in international skateboard magazines, featured  in a music  video, and a video by Corona Extra promoting  skate-boarding destinations. Most  locals  would have noticed that further construction has been underway  at the  park over the past six weeks. Premium Skate Park construction are back continuing  work on the park made  possible  by a Lotteries  Grant received late last year.

As a result  of the grant, construction has begun on the street skate obstacles  which  surround    the   two   bowls. At   the   completion    of  this phase a further 300 square meters of skateable surfaces will have been    installed    including a manual  pad and a number of other benches and grind rails.

“Although the construction  of a skate facility of this scale and standard  is  expensive,”  says MAZ  chairman    Simon Bennett,  “when  the  lon- gevity of around 50 years is taken into account it is one of the most economical  investments  in  our youth that we can make.” He adds the contributions  local business  provides are very humbling. Craig   Jepson   of  Kauri Coast  Concrete  donated
$800 worth of labour in the laying, screeding and finishing  of concrete. Kerry of Mangawhai Mustang  spent  some hours  loading top soil with his bobcat, and Simon from Total Wheelie Bins continues  to assists with rubbish.