In order to promote the development of sport in Ventspils and to encourage Ventspils athletes to excel, a new indoor skate park and volleyball courts are planned at 12A Kr.Valdemāra Street, according to the Ventspils Communal Administration.
At the end of January, a building permit was issued for the design of the building reconstruction at 12A Kr.Valdemāra Street, which will include a 600 m2 indoor skatepark and 2 volleyball courts with ceiling heights of 6 and 8 metres. The main function of the beach-type volleyball courts will be to provide a modern winter training base for athletes, with a small seating area for spectators. The design will be finalised in the next 8 months, with construction to start in 2024, subject to the resolution of the funding issue.
The creation of an indoor skate park in Ventspils is still a topical issue for the residents, as the municipality continues to receive suggestions from young athletes and their parents about the need for such a park for children to develop their talents in sport. Indoor skateparks and volleyball courts exist in several cities in Latvia and elsewhere in the Baltics, where even world-class competitions are regularly held. Initially, the indoor skatepark was located on Ganību Street, but since 2010 the indoor skatepark has been located on Lāčplēša Street. According to the Ventspils Olympic Centre, these premises were leased for the purposes of the skatepark, but after the lease expired the owners of the premises did not renew the lease agreement due to other business plans.
In order to continue the development of extreme sports in Ventspils, it was necessary to acquire premises suitable for a skatepark. On 26 August 2021, Ventspils State City Municipality acquired ownership of the building at 12A Kr.Vademāra Street through a real estate exchange, and the design of an indoor skatepark was immediately initiated to ensure the possibility of sports not only in summer, but also all year round, in winter and in all weather conditions.
