King George V Oval is set to be the new hotspot for local skaters in the Port Kembla community. Following Wollongong Council’s announcement as part of their ‘Port Kembla Revitalization Plan,’ the community has mixed concerns.
Port Kembla local Jett Cully (17) is passionate about the proposed plan, which he believes will benefit the community.
“I think it’ll be really good if there’s an actual skatepark in Port because we need more spaces for the community to come together, there are not many areas in Port where we can do so,” Culley said.
In 2022, due to the lack of facilities, a group of locals built their own skatepark, naming the community area ‘PK DIY‘.
However, in 2023, the Wollongong City Council tried to shut down the skatepark due to safety concerns, but the community rebutted them strongly.
Through their ‘Revitalization Plan,’ Wollongong City Council hope to bring the community together and construct a safe community skatepark.
Culley emphasized the importance of community to him and his family and friends;
“PK DIY was important because it gave me a real sense of community. That’s why a new skate park will be great…it will bring more people together, and we will have better equipment”
However, many residents have expressed issues with the council’s selected location. Local Tyla Hurst lives on the street across from King George Oval and has expressed her disappointment with the proposed location.
“During summer, we already see hundreds of tourists come during the day, and parking is already a nightmare. We don’t need more people crowding the streets,” Hurst said.
A spike in tourism around Port Kembla during summer has caused residents to avoid popular town favourites, including Port Kembla Beach and Hill 60, to avoid excessive noise and crowds.
“Port Kembla is a small town, but there is a lot of space that isn’t being used, like near where the DIY skate is or even the tracks near Wentworth Street,” Hurst said.
Recent results from a survey of residents in surrounding areas demonstrated that 65 per cent supported the proposed location.
After meeting with the community board and project managers, Wollongong City Council are still undecided whether residents of Port Kembla will be satisfied by this decision.
