Old swimming pool in Hofstade transformed into an indoor skate park: “Now we can train in our own country” | skateboarding

Skateboarding is on the rise in Flanders. “The number of practitioners has increased elevenfold in just a few years and it has also become an Olympic discipline. It is therefore no coincidence that we are investing in this,” says Ben Weyts at the opening of the indoor skate park in Hofstade.

A former swimming pool was converted into a new attraction where both recreational skaters and top athletes can go. “Invest in
Sports quality also means investing in quality sports infrastructure.”

“We have a lot of skating talent in Flanders, which we want to nurture by offering them the right facilities. The new skate park in Hofstade will be a breeding ground for talent and the center for everyone who wants to skate to their heart’s content.”

Flanders invested 3.3 million euros in the new complex. The skate park is 1,550 m² in size and has numerous obstacles that skaters of all levels will find something to their liking.

The new infrastructure was also equipped with a special camera system that allows trainers to perform video analyzes quickly and efficiently.

The new skate park will therefore be the epicenter of the preparations in the run-up to the Olympic Games that will take place in Paris next year.

“An indoor skate park like this in Flanders is great. I am very grateful that I can now prepare in top conditions for my way to the Olympic Games,” says Olympic skateboarder Lore Bruggeman.

“Also for promising young people, this is the best support they can get to make progress and train a lot in their own country.”