"It's been really great to involve the local skating community . . . They've been heavily involved throughout the process, and vital in fundraising and contributing to the design."
Mayor Garry Webber said it was rewarding to see the community's reaction, especially from young families.
"There was one happy little fella aged about 4 learning to skateboard encouraged by his parents and grandparents, and some of bigger kids were also sharing their skills.
"It was fantastic to see that. This is a great thing for Te Puke and I'm sure the skatepark will become an inter-generational hub for the whole community," he said.
Richard Crawford, a member of the Te Puke Skatepark Project Control Group, said the hard work getting the project off the ground and attracting funding was all worth it.
"It has been a long time in the making, and it was a bit of a lonely journey at first,
but once council came on board other people also agreed to support it.
"I'm quite pleased and happy with the end result, and all the talk about it has been really positive," he said.
Mr Crawford said the skatepark had already proved hugely popular, with some of those who attended the celebrations having travelled from Auckland, Raglan and Hamilton to compete in the competitions.
It had created another great reason for people to want to visit Te Puke township, he said.
The council would like to thank everyone who contributed to the making the project happen, including an anonymous donor who gifted $15,000, Mr Lun said.
Financial contributions came from:
Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust (TECT)
First Sovereign Trust
Te Puke Kiwi Coast Lions
Te Puke Community Board
Western Bay of Plenty District Council
Te Puke's Skateboard Project Control Group
