Search for Scotland's first 'radical' skatepark lost in the undergrowth under Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park
Skaters of the lost park unite!
The search is on for Scotland’s first ever skatepark, which today lies buried beneath one of the country’s most cherished city spaces.
Kelvin Wheelies opened in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow, in May 1978, with its arrival considered a “radical” addition to the cityscape as the skateboarding subculture that boomed in California got a foothold in Scotland.
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The park was extremely popular when it opened, with the entrance fee just 20p during the summer holidays. The location attracted skaters from all over the UK with its ‘hauf pipe’, bowls and slalom run.
Now, archaeologists are to excavate and survey the old site to ensure it is recognised as part of the city’s sporting heritage, with hopes that old skaters will come forward and share their insights of their time at Kelvin Wheelies.
Jamie Blair, owner of Glasgow-based skateboarding shop Clan Skates, former member of the Kelvingrove skateboard team and former Scottish skateboard champion, said: “When Kelvin Wheelies opened in 1978, skaters from all over the UK flocked to this radical new facility.
“A park team was formed and for the next few years, Glasgow was the dominant force in Scottish skateboarding.
“Sadly, a dip in skateboarding's popularity in the early 1980s and the construction of a rival skatepark in Livingston saw the decline of Kelvin Wheelies, with the main bowlriding area buried in time. I'm thrilled that through this project we have a chance to rediscover it.”
The Society of Antiquaries Scotland is supporting the research project, which is being led by Dr Kenny Brophy of Glasgow University, with funding of £1,102.
Glasgow University archaeology students will work with volunteers on the excavation and survey work of the site. The excavation will start later this month to preserve the legacy of the skatepark and ensure “a central part of modern Glasgow’s sporting heritage” is recorded.
Dr Kenny Brophy, senior lecturer in archaeology at Glasgow University, said: “There is a very real danger that this skatepark, a place that was so special for hundreds of young people just decades ago, will become forgotten and lost.
“Contemporary archaeology allows us the opportunity to explore even fairly recent events and places to jog memories, combining traditional archaeological fieldwork techniques with interviews and documentary research.
“In the case of Kelvin Wheelies, this is a unique opportunity for a generation of skateboarders to relive the excitement of their youth and excavate their own memories of a place that was so special to them.”
People are being urged to share memories, video and photographs of the original council-run Kelvin Wheelies, which will form part of an online archive for the skatepark and help with future fieldwork.
Archaeologists at the University of Glasgow have also partnered with Archaeology Scotland’s New Audiences programme to invite volunteers from asylum seeking and refugee communities to take part in the fieldwork.
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The funding for the skatepark project comes in the latest round of awards from the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.
A total of £17,478 has been granted to 11 projects researching an aspect of Scottish history or archaeology. These include 19th-century Scottish tea merchants and the global interactions in China, female emigration from Shetland and Skye to Australia during the Great Famine of 1845-51, and the dating of Viking ship stems from the Isle of Eigg.
Dr Helen Spencer, head of research at the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, said: “As a charity, we are especially grateful to our thousands of Fellows across the globe, whose subscription fees enable us to distribute these grants each year.”
To share memories of Kelvin Wheelies, please contact [email protected] or use #KelvinWheelies when posting on X and Bluesky.
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