Richard Tankersley from the Ashhurst Community Trust said it was young people from the village who kept pushing for upgraded facilities, with the community driving the fundraising. The idea was originally floated by young skaters in 2009.

"The kids even had sketch plans of the concept."

Community was also the key to bringing the project to fruition, with the local Ashhurst-Pohangina Lions putting in five working bees on the professionally designed park. Tankersley said Transpower provided six staff to help tie the reinforcing steel.

A $30,000 grant from the Eastern and Central Community Trust was a big boost for the $200,000 project, with funding coming from small grants, local business sponsorship and $25,000 from the Palmerston North City Council.  The Te Apiti Powerup fund (Meridian) contributed $50,000.

"The community have taken stewardship to ensure the site was constructed to a high standard," Tankersley said.

The council was providing maintenance, drinking fountains, murals and landscaping, and the park would be opened by Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith.

"I'm looking forward to having a facility that local kids and the community can enjoy, hone their skills and have a good time," Tankersley said.

City council leisure assets planner Jason Pilkington said the new skate park represented a terrific community-driven effort.

"They have stepped up and done a fantastic job. They came to us with a purpose, the burden was off the rates, and we know the project is needed."

Pilkington said the short tight Ashhurst skate park was expected to provide a different sort of run to the new Palmerston North park on the Railway Land Reserve.