New skatepark opens in port of Brussels

A new skatepark has opened in the Brussels port area. Sk8 Port is located near the Brussels Cruise Terminal in the Neder-over-Hembeek neighbourhood.

Brussels-City chose the industrial site because it offered plenty of space that was already paved over. “The skatepark is 600 square metres and is in the middle of an industrial zone in the port of Brussels,” port captain Philippe Herman told VRT. “It’s a unique atmosphere to come and skate in. I’m convinced a lot of people will be drawn to it.”

The skatepark is part of a re-development of the area, which also includes a new cycle path and the installation of a historical crane, which was moved from one bank to the other. It is visible from the skatepark, which skateboarders find cool, but some of them are questioning the location of the new park, saying it is too far from the centre of Brussels.

Skateboarders told Bruzz that the city had really good intentions in installing a skatepark in the port area, but that there’s nothing else in the neighbourhood to do. They are also concerned about the proximity of the canal. There’s a fence around the skatepark, but it’s not impossible, they said, that a skateboard could end up in the water.

One skateboarder called Nor said that the only really good skatepark in Brussels is Byrrh & Skate in Anderlecht, “but you have to pay to use it”.

Photo ©Port of Brussels