Former BMX champion and professional skateboarder Mike Pardon showed off his skills to Wigan residents on 2 July when he attended the official opening of a new extreme sports facility at Alexandra Park in Newtown.

The £122,000 facility, constructed as part of Wigan Borough’s Extreme Sport Strategy and co-ordinated by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, includes a mini-ramp, a Wembley gap, a flatbank, a quarter-pipe, a jumpbox, a stepped grind-box, a grind box, a driveway, a hipped flatbank, and a hipped quarter-pipe.

It was funded thanks to £99,000 from the Single Regeneration Budget Round 6; £10,000 provided by local councillors through their Brighter Borough money and £13,000 from Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.

Pardon, who is the only fully-qualified BMX and skateboard coach in the UK, said: "Alexandra Park's new facility is really well designed and appeals to both skaters and bikers.

“Full marks to Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and Wigan Council for recognising the need for such a skatepark.

“With BMX racing now a full Olympic sport in 2008, and the proven benefits of action sports as an aid to learning, it can't be long before the borough produces a new generation of champions."

David Owen, parks community liaison officer for Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, added: "This new facility has only been open for a few weeks but is already being really well used. It is now a great place skating, BMXing and blading; all exciting, invigorating and social activities.

“We hope that more people will be encouraged to get active and enjoy what we have at Alexandra Park; particularly young people as they are often stuck for a suitable area to enjoy extreme sports.”

The new facility's design was influenced by local boarders, bladers and BMXers who were consulted during the Party in the Park event in 2006.

The trust’s parks regeneration team has said this is only the first stage of the extreme sports facility and that it is currently exploring funding opportunities and ooking for support to complete stage two, which will offer more ramps.

Photograph: Mike Pardon