(Top row) Hass Aminian, Founder of Millennial Events (far left), Tan Hock Leong, Chief, ActiveSG, Sport Singapore (second from left), Mohd Fahmi Aliman, member of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Culture, Community and Youth (middle, in black), Marcus Tan, Chief, Sport Development Group, Sport Singapore (second from right) and Kerk Kim Por, Head of Sport Development, Sport Singapore (far right) with members of the skateboarding community at the YouthCreates Bishan Skate Spot launch event. (Credit: Sport Singapore)

Singapore’s skateboarding community welcomes the new YouthCreates Skate Spot @ ActiveSG Bishan Sport Centre, ActiveSG’s first skate facility. The vibrant hub was mooted by YouthCreates – an initiative under Sport Singapore (SportSG). The facility, which officially opened today, serves as a dedicated space for the growing local skateboarding community.

The launch featured a lively showcase of skateboarding competitions, demonstrations, music and craft activities, drawing in about 200 skaters and spectators of all ages. Mr Mohd Fahmi Aliman, member of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Culture, Community and Youth, officiated the event. 

A Growing Skateboarding Scene

Skateboarder performing tricks at the YouthCreates Bishan Skate Spot. (Credit: Sport Singapore)

The YouthCreates Skate Spot @ ActiveSG Bishan Sport Centre serves as a pilot project for a community-centric skate facility. Unlike larger skateparks at Somerset, East Coast Park, and Jurong Lake Gardens, this Skate Spot offers a more accessible venue in the heartlands for young skaters, including beginners, to develop their skills and build a community around the sport.

Mr Marcus Tan, Chief, Sport Development Group at SportSG, said, “The opening of YouthCreates Skate Spot @ ActiveSG Bishan Sport Centre marks a significant milestone in our efforts to make skateboarding more accessible to our community. Beyond being just a skating facility, we envision this space evolving into a vibrant community hub where experienced skaters can mentor beginners, where local competitions can flourish, and where organic skating communities can form in the heartlands. This is about creating opportunities for young people to stay active while building meaningful connections through sport.”. 

Skate sports have seen growing interest following its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. In Singapore, there has been strong participation at YouthCreates skating events such as Ramp-it-Up, Shredder Series, and MASS Singapore.

Hazmi Husaini, a skate coach, said, “It is great to finally have a skate spot in Bishan. Having more dedicated skate spaces in the heartlands makes a huge difference for the community, especially for younger skaters looking for a place to practise and connect with others. We are excited to see the skateboarding scene grow even more with facilities like this.”

The YouthCreates Skate Spot opens from 7am to 10pm daily, in line with ActiveSG Bishan Sport Centre’s operating hours. 

Encouraging Youth Innovation Through Sport

Adding to the excitement, SportSG has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Youth Council (NYC) to introduce the Young ChangeMakers – YouthCreates (Sport) Grant. This initiative aims to empower young people to kickstart community-driven projects through sport, reinforcing SportSG’s commitment to fostering active and engaged communities.

The launch of the Young ChangeMakers – YouthCreates (Sport) Grant marks a significant step in supporting youth-led sporting initiatives. Through the collaboration between YouthCreates and NYC, the Young ChangeMakers grant cap has been increased from $5,000 to either $6,000 or $8,000, based on project merit. This enhancement ensures Singapore’s youth have access to adequate funding and resources to organise sport-related initiatives that they are passionate about.

Ms Karen Lee, Director of Partnership Lab at NYC, added: “We recognise that youths would like to contribute back to their community in different ways, and sports is one key area. The partnership through the Young Changemakers – YouthCreates (Sport) will expand the opportunities for youths to give back to the community, through something close to their hearts – sports.”

Youths interested in applying for the grant can submit their proposals via the OurSG Grants Portal, starting today.

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新加坡滑板界迎来全新YouthCreates滑板场地@ActiveSG碧山体育中心，这是ActiveSG首个滑板设施。这一活力四射的场地由新加坡体育理事会（SportSG）旗下青年创新计划YouthCreates发起。该设施于今日正式开放，为本地不断壮大的滑板社群提供了专属空间。

开幕活动以滑板比赛、技巧展示、音乐及手工艺工作坊为亮点，吸引了约200名各年龄段的滑板爱好者及观众。文化、社区及青年政府国会委员会成员 Mohd Fahmi Aliman 主持了启动仪式。

蓬勃发展的滑板社群

YouthCreates滑板场地@ActiveSG碧山体育中心是首个以社区为核心的滑板试点项目。相较于索美塞、东海岸公园及裕廊湖花园的碧山体育中心，这一新场地选址组屋区中心地带，为年轻滑手（包括初学者）提供了更便利的练习空间，助力技能提升并促进社群联结。

新加坡体育理事会体育发展组主任 Marcus Tan 表示：“碧山滑板场地的启用是推动滑板运动普及的重要里程碑。我们期待这里不仅成为运动场所，更能发展为社区枢纽——资深滑手可指导新人、本地赛事得以孵化、邻里滑板社群自然生长。我们希望为年轻人创造通过运动保持活力、建立深度联结的机会。”

自滑板运动在2020年东京奥运会首秀后，其热度持续攀升。新加坡本土活动如YouthCreates举办的“Ramp-it-Up”“Shredder Series”及“MASS Singapore”也吸引了大量参与者。

滑板教练 Hazmi Husaini 表示：“碧山滑板场的落成意义重大。社区内增设专业场地将极大改善滑板环境，尤其为年轻滑手提供了训练与交流的平台。我们期待这类设施进一步推动本地滑板文化发展。”

该滑板场地每日早7点至晚10点开放，与ActiveSG碧山体育中心运营时间同步。

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以运动激发青年创新力

新加坡体育理事会与全国青年理事会（NYC）签署合作备忘录，推出“青年变革者—YouthCreates（体育）资助计划”，支持青年通过体育发起社区项目，彰显SportSG培育活力社群的承诺。

该计划将青年变革者项目最高资助额从5000新元提升至6000或8000新元（依据项目评估），确保青年获得充足资源开展体育类倡议。全国青年理事会合作实验室主任 Karen Lee 表示：“青年渴望以多元方式回馈社区，体育是重要领域之一。此次合作将拓宽他们通过热爱的运动贡献社会的渠道。”

即日起，有意申请资助的青年可通过OurSG Grants Portal提交提案。