Last updated November 2026
Young people in Stoke asked for somewhere of their own for well over a decade, and Stoke Youth Park is the result. It sits in the car park beside Stoke Memorial Hall on Main Road, Stoke, in Nelson, next to Whanake Youth.
The park mixes a skate area with a basketball court, a timber deck, a converted shipping container, synthetic turf and a shade sail. It opened in November 2021 after a design process led by local rangatahi, schools and the Nelson Youth Council.
Think of it as a hangout first and a skatepark second, with room to roll, shoot hoops or just sit.
Practical Information
- Location
- Car park beside Stoke Memorial Hall, Main Road, Stoke
- Suburb
- Stoke, Nelson
- Features
- Skate area, basketball court, deck with container, tables, synthetic turf, hammock, shade sail
- Lighting
- Timer-controlled lights over the basketball court and skate area; catenary lights over the deck
- Opened
- November 2021
- Designed and built by
- Kūmānu (park design), Nelmac (build), Swain Construction (skate element)
- Cost
- Free
- Managed by
- Nelson City Council
About Stoke Youth Park
The idea goes back a long way. Sport NZ’s case study traces the first request for a youth space to the Nelson City Youth Council in 2006, followed by years of consultation and debate before design work could start.
In 2019 the council put in a small concrete quarter pipe in the hall car park as a sign that Stoke’s young people had not been forgotten, while it worked on the bigger plan.
In June 2021 the council’s Community and Recreation Committee voted to go ahead with a co-designed park featuring a basketball court, a skate park and a container stage. Whanake Youth surveyed local young people and ran design workshops, and their wish list included seating, a music area, a coffee cart, hammocks, skate features and a basketball court.
Kūmānu designed the park, Nelmac built it and Swain Construction designed and built the skate element. According to the council’s opening story, the project came in $30,000 under its $700,000 budget. A separate $150,000 from the Rātā Foundation paid for the shade sail over the turf, the lighting and extra decking.
The opening began with a karakia whakawātea, a dawn blessing led by kaumātua with support from local iwi.
More Than a Skate Spot
The skate area is only one part of the space. The deck and container give people somewhere to sit out of the weather, the turf sits under a shade sail, and the basketball court has its own lights on a timer.
Before You Go
Riders wanting a bigger concrete park can head into the city to Neale Park, which the council lists as Nelson’s main skatepark. Skating is not allowed in the Stoke central business district under the council bylaw, so keep it to the park. Helmets and pads are worth packing, and the council’s website is the place to check for any changes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Stoke Youth Park?
In the car park beside Stoke Memorial Hall on Main Road, Stoke, next to Whanake Youth.
Does it have a skatepark?
Yes. It has a skate element designed and built by Swain Construction, alongside a basketball court and a deck area.
Is it free?
Yes. It is a public Nelson City Council space.
Are there lights?
The basketball court and skate area have timer-controlled lighting, and there are catenary lights over the deck.
When did it open?
The park opened with a dawn blessing in November 2021.
Who designed it?
Local young people shaped the brief through Whanake Youth, the Nelson Youth Council and schools. Kūmānu designed the park and Nelmac built it.
Is there shade?
Yes. A shade sail covers the synthetic turf area.
Where is the main skatepark in Nelson?
Nelson City Council lists Neale Park, entered from Sovereign Street, as the city’s premier skatepark.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- Nelson City Council: Stoke Youth Park finally open: the opening story with the budget, builders and funded extras.
- Our Nelson: New community-designed youth park for Stoke: the 2021 decision and the features planned for the site.
- Sport NZ: Stoke Youth Park: a case study on how young people shaped the design.