East Side Skatepark

East Side Skatepark is a 1,000 m² concrete skatepark in Llanrumney, Cardiff, next to Eastern Leisure Centre. The park opened in June 2025, replacing the area's old timber-framed skate facility with a larger, permanent concrete destination designed for skaters of all ages and abilities. The skatepark was designed by VDZ+A and Newline Skateparks, working closely with the local skateboarding community throughout the design process. Betongpark was involved in the design and construction of the finished park.

The layout combines flowing transition with a substantial street plaza. Features include a classic mini ramp, hips, banks, ledges, curbs, rails, a large stair set with handrail and a quarter pipe. Complex steelwork is integrated throughout the park, including a folded-steel slappy kerb, ledges, rails and detailed stair faces. Wide platforms allow riders to circulate between the different sections and create multiple lines through the park.

The project was designed to integrate the skatepark into its surrounding landscape rather than simply placing it within the existing park. The scheme includes sympathetic earthworks, sustainable drainage through a bioswale, rain gardens, wildflower planting, trees and shrubs, helping connect the skateable space with the wider public environment. The new park replaced an approximately 316 m² existing facility and expanded the site to more than three times that size. The use of concrete provides a more durable, lower-maintenance and quieter facility than the timber-framed park it replaced.