Vaasa skateboard hall renovated through community work

The Vaasa skateboard hall in Huutoniemi has been renovated with the help of volunteers and according to the wishes of the users. A huge effort has been made by the local association Vaasa Skate ry, whose members built new, more multi-purpose ramps entirely out of recycled materials!

The ramps in the skate hall were last renovated in 2017. The old ramps were too big and not suitable for beginners or for practicing.

– Now the hall has smaller and more versatile ramps that can be used by beginners and more experienced skaters alike, says Markus Muurimäki, chair of the Vaasa Skate association.

Muurimäki designed the new ramps on the basis of ideas put forward by the association’s project team. The idea to renovate the ramps originally came from the hall’s users.

– We received a direct request from young people to renovate the hall and started planning the project together with the experts, namely the Vaasa Skate association, says Anna-Leena Orava, Youth Services Coordinator.

The hall is now also open on Sundays

The skateboard hall run by the City of Vaasa Youth Services is located in Huutoniemi. It is free of charge for everyone.

The hall has separate shifts for people of different ages and with different equipment. Girls also have their own shift, so that everyone has the lowest possible threshold to get started with the hobby.

Youth Services keeps the skatepark open from 14.00 to 21.00 on weekdays and rents it out at weekends, for example for birthdays.

– This autumn, the hall will also be open for everyone on Sundays from 15 to 20, as we are working together with Oscar Hagen from the Barely skate shop in Vaasa, says Orava.

Old ramps were put to good use

No timber had to be bought for the new ramps, as the volunteers used the old ramps to build the new ones. Only a small section of the seating area needed new wood.

– For six months we have been working here, mainly in the evenings and at night, says Muurimäki.

Orava says that the city’s youth services are very happy with the cooperation, and the feedback from users has been excellent.

– The young people’s expressions have been wow, coming here for the first time to see the new facilities, says Orava.

This week is National Youth Work Week with the theme of showcasing the diversity of youth work. The week highlights the valuable work done by youth workers, organisations, municipalities, and parishes for young people.

Vaasa skateboard hall

• Axel Mörnentie 7
• about 770 m2
• Free for all!
• Open weekdays from 14–21 and Sundays from 15–20
• On Saturdays and Sundays, the hall can be rented for birthday parties and other events.
• The hall also hosts skateboarding competitions and summer camps for children and young people.