First skating facility inside public park to open in UAE

The UAE’s first skating facility in a park will open in Ras Al Khaimah in May this year, it was announced on Monday (April 1). The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) broke ground on the construction of the skate park at the Saqr Park last week.

The 620-square-metre skate park will be built in a Ghaf Tree reserve at the park, so skaters will get to enjoy the natural shading from the trees.

It will include various obstacles for skaters of all levels: A bowl, pyramids, ledges, banks and round rails. These will make the park a unique destination for skateboarding, roller blading and BMX bike riding, according to the officials.

Haitham Mattar, CEO of the RAKTDA, said: “The development of the skating facility at the Saqr Park is a key addition to the largest public recreational area in Ras Al Khaimah. We believe that the new skatepark will offer visitors, and most importantly, residents of the emirate a new and well-equipped outdoor space to enjoy skating in all its forms. This will also give the growing skating community across the UAE another reason to come down to Ras Al Khaimah and enjoy everything it has to offer.”

The facility will host an inaugural event to celebrate its launch in May.

As skateboarding makes its Olympic debut in 2020, the street sport has successfully emerged as a globally recognised sport and it is now being acknowledged for its positive impact on the youth.

Source: Khaleej Times