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Daily Record
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Archaeologists to dig up Scotland's first ever skate park that is 'lost in time'
Kelvin Wheelies was built back in the seventies Scotland's first ever skatepark is set to be dug up in Glasgow as archaeologists prepare to uncover a long-buried piece of the city's skateboarding history. The University of Glasgow will begin excavations later this month at the site of Kelvin Wheelies, a pioneering skatepark built in Kelvingrove Park in May 1978. At the time, it was considered cutting-edge, featuring bowls, a slalom run and a half pipe, or 'hauf pipe' as it was affectionately called. The site even hosted Scotland's first national skateboarding competition, Glasgow Live reports. Although hugely popular in its early years, concerns over safety and maintenance costs quickly mounted. By 1983, the park had been closed and buried, leaving only traces of its original layout visible near the modern skatepark that sits in the park today. Between August 25 and 29, archaeologists will excavate the site to examine its condition and record what has been described as 'a central part of modern Glasgow's sporting heritage'. Jamie Blair, owner of Glasgow's Clan Skates shop, former Scottish skateboard champion and a member of the original Kelvingrove skateboard team, recalled the impact the park once had. 'When Kelvin Wheelies opened in 1978, skaters from all over the UK flocked to this radical new facility,' he said. '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 project is also calling on the public to contribute. Memories, photographs and video footage of Kelvin Wheelies are being sought to create an online archive that will document its history and support further research. Contributions can be sent to Visitors will also be encouraged to attend the dig, which will combine archaeological methods with oral history to bring the park's story back to life. Dr Kenny Brophy FSAScot, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Glasgow and project leader, said the work is vital in ensuring Kelvin Wheelies is not forgotten. '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,' he explained. '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.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Kelvin Wheelies was built during the so-called 'second wave' of concrete skateparks that spread internationally in the 1970s. While some have since been recognised as heritage sites, such as Livingston's Livi Skatepark which was given Category B listing by Historic Environment Scotland in 2024, many were simply dismantled or buried. According to the University of Glasgow, the excavation will form part of a wider project combining fieldwork, surveys, archival research and community engagement. The university added: 'Currently, virtually no one even knows there was a skatepark in this part of the park. We are also going to document the creation and story of the skatepark through archive research, interviews and – hopefully – collect a digital archive of photos and film of the skatepark being used, and associated records and ephemera. "This is a project that will very much be a collaboration with the skateboarding community in Glasgow, and we will be working with Jamie Blair, who has written a history of the skatepark.'
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Scotsman
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Search for Scotland's first 'radical' skatepark lost in the undergrowth under Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park
Skaters of the lost park unite! Sign up to our History and Heritage newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kelvin Wheelies skatepark brought the spirit of California to Glasgow in the late 1970s. | Contributed 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. READ MORE: Legendary Livingston skatepark listed by heritage chiefs 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad '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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad '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. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 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.'
