Tamil Nadu's first government-built skate park opens in Ooty

Tamil Nadu's first dedicated skate park, constructed by the state government, was inaugurated at Buttfire near Udhagamandalam on Friday. District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru opened the facility, which has come up on a two-acre plot at a cost of ₹1.85 crore, with funds drawn from the Special Area Development Programme.

The park's skating rink, 110 metres long, was built at a cost of ₹49.85 lakh. The remaining skateboarding features — a bowl, a pump track, a ramp, kicker rails, ledges and hip ramps — were completed for ₹1.35 crore.

Speaking to reporters, Ms. Tanneeru said this was the first occasion on which the government had created skating infrastructure, a task that demanded considerable technical expertise. The Public Works Department executed the project along with specialist skate park builders.

A three-day skating competition began at the park on Friday and will run until September 13, with 30 skateboarders and local residents taking part. The event features competitions, games, workshops, music and other activities, and entry is free during these dates, officials said.

The Collector said the facility would benefit skaters in the district who compete at national-level events.