The ACT Government is deciding whether to heritage-list Tuggeranong Skatepark after “provisionally” adding an iconic skating location in Erindale to the ACT Heritage Register.

The ACT Heritage Council, which “helps to recognise, protect, conserve and celebrate the unique heritage places and objects in the ACT”, has agreed to register the Erindale Brick Banks in Wanniassa as a heritage site, pending public feedback.

Deputy chairperson Catherine Skippington said the Erindale Brick Banks were an iconic part of Canberra’s skateboarding scene.

“They are unique in the ACT and are renowned world-wide for the level of skill required to use them,” she said.

The Brick Banks, located within the Erindale Skatepark, originally formed part of a retaining wall for Erindale College (then Wannisassa Community College).

Skateboarding at the Erindale Brick Banks. Photo: Canberra Skateboarding Association.

But local skateboarders soon discovered the height, angle and steepness of the banks made them the perfect skating challenge. So when the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) then developed the wider skatepark in the 1970s, it agreed to keep them.

“This ‘found’ site, adopted by local skaters from the 1970s onwards, is a great example of how diverse heritage is in our city and how the Heritage Register can help bring to light little-known stories of the national capital as a thriving, growing city,” Ms Skippington said.

The heritage registration, now open for community feedback, is limited to the Brick Banks, rather than the entire skatepark.

However, the same can’t be said for Tuggeranong Skatepark, where the council has accepted a nomination for its registration due to its “connection to Canberra’s BMX bike community”.

The decision is far from set in stone. The council must first assess it for “potential heritage significance” and then, as with the Brick Banks, go through a period of community consultation.

But the Canberra Skateboarding Association (CSA) is getting on the front foot, describing the nomination as “a mistake”.

“Unlike the Erindale Brick Banks, Tuggeranong Skatepark does not possess elements that couldn’t be recreated in a new, modern facility,” the CSA’s submission to the ACT Heritage Council reads.

“We understand the nomination might have been submitted with good intentions, possibly by a parent of a BMX rider. However, it’s important to note that BMX groups, including Backbone BMX, have supported our petition for upgrading the facility.

“We respectfully request that you consider rejecting the heritage nomination to ensure the Tuggeranong community is not deprived of a much-needed upgraded skatepark after years of dedicated advocacy.”

Tony Hawk skateboarding at Erindale in 1980s. Photo: Dave Pang, Canberra Skateboarding Association.

The CSA has long lobbied for the Brick Banks to be heritage-listed, in part to save it from previous plans for a new road through the area.

“I learned to skateboard in the early 2000s in the Erindale area, not just on the Brick Banks,” CSA vice-president Brenden Wood (“Woody”) told Region.

“Although it might not see daily use like some of Canberra’s large skateparks, it’s a mandatory stop for touring professionals and travelling skateboarders.

“Tony Hawk has skated there. The spot has appeared in countless international skateboarding videos and magazines spanning decades. There aren’t many spots in Australia which can make that claim.”

The CSA first submitted the heritage nomination for the Brick Banks about eight years ago, and is “stoked to finally see some progression”.

“We worked hard on this,” Mr Wood said. “We gathered historical photos and testimonials from international pro skateboarders, skateboarding media and others.”

At the same time, the association has also worked hard to get the government to commit to upgrade Tuggeranong Skatepark.

A 2023 petition that drew more than 700 signatures asked the government to “allocate sufficient funding to construct a new, modern, world-class skatepark in Tuggeranong to modernise the 25-year-old facility and cater to the growing population in the area”.

In its response, the government agreed to only upgrade the play space “close by to the skatepark” as part of a $5.6 million redevelopment of the wider Tuggeranong foreshore.

“At this stage, there are no plans to construct a new skatepark in Tuggeranong,” Sport and Recreation Minister Yvette Berry wrote.

Government crews upgrading the lighting at the Tuggeranong Skatepark in 2022. Photo: Canberra Skateboarding Association, Facebook.

In September 2023, “minor resurfacing and replacement of damaged ramp surfaces” was completed to “address safety issues and rideability”.

Mr Wood is concerned placing a heritage listing on the park would complicate any future plans for more major upgrades.

He points out that unlike the Erindale Brick Banks, where a heritage listing “will not prevent any opportunities to upgrade the skate park itself”, Tuggeranong would be different.

“The mention of Tuggeranong Skatepark is a mistake.”

Public consultation on the Erindale Brick Banks is open until 24 July. Visit the ACT Government website for details on how to comment.