Overview
Prahran Skate Park has been a hugely important space for local skaters and young people for nearly three decades, with the likes of Tony Hawk, Cristian Hosoi, Renton Millar and Tas Pappas taking to the old vert ramp at one time or another.
It's not clear whether they wanted it all cleaned up, but the City of Stonnington decided to totally overhaul the park when it was redeveloping the wider precinct on Malvern Road.
International skate park designer Convic was brought on to dream up the new community space, which now boasts a mini ramp, rails, banks and several contemporary obstacles. There are also plenty of spots for spectating, as well as patches of greenery dotted all over.
One of the biggest parts of the transformation included removing the old vert ramp from the entrance — where it blocked access to the rest of the space and was a little too high for some skaters — to create a more user-friendly ramp towards the rear of the lot.
Convic collaborated with pro skaters to settle on the dimensions for the new ramp, which is still the only full-size, free-to-use vert ramp in metropolitan Melbourne.
The new design also included reinvigorating the adjacent basketball court, giving the entire lot a new lease on life. Skaters have already taken to the new plaza, but it won't officially open until Saturday, June 29.
You'll find the skate park at 276 Malvern Road, Prahran. For more information, head to the City of Stonnington website.