A Bristol-based company has been given a contract to re-develop the skate park at Royal Victoria Park.
Bath and North East Somerset Council has awarded the contract to public space designers, Canvas Spaces. Planning permission for the re-design will be submitted to the council at the start of next month. If it is granted, work could be completed at the skate park by the end of April next year.
There have been a number of consultations with skate park users and ideas were put forward to a panel of eight skateboarders, BMX riders, scooter riders, and roller-bladers ranging from 15 years of age to 50 plus.
The panel have scrutinised the submissions, quizzed prospective designers and voted on their favourite designs, before meeting with Canvas Spaces to agree amendments to the initial project designs.
BMX rider Ollie Derrick said: "I've been involved for a long time in the discussion about re-developing the skate park. It's exciting being able to challenge prestigious skate park designers and share ideas collectively as a group – old and new faces working together creates a sense of community.
"It's very important to have users involved; in the past, some of the obstacles have been put into the skate park with limited involvement from the users of the space but now the alliance between the council and users has created a real confidence in the process and a better respect for the council."
The proposed design includes concrete bowls sunk into the ground which replicate the large ramps currently used in the park, which the council believes will offer more 'street' features and a better 'flow' of continuous ride lines.
Councillor David Dixon, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: "It was clear that the skate park needed investment – it hasn't been updated for 20 years. It's been great having this panel of riders working with us and the skate park designers to complete the detail of the design so that the park can best meet the needs of all riders. The proposals are still in the early stages and are subject to full planning permission being granted but already potential users are excited about the initial designs they've seen."
Scooter rider Nathan, 15, added "I love the bowl being proposed. And I love being involved in the process of helping to shape the design."
BMX rider, Ben Pearson, said: "As one of the older users of Bath skate park, I think it's fantastic that Bath could get a facility of which the city can be proud."
