Slovenian fans of urban sports such as skateboarding and rollerblading have much to look forward to this spring. The largest outdoor skate park in the country opened in Velenje in east Slovenia, and Ljubljana has launched its first indoor skate park.

In Velenje the 2,203 m2 urban park is fitted with rails, ramps and other objects for street and bowl skateboarding. The skate park is also suitable for bikes, roller-skates and scooters.

The facilities are free to use. Visitors can rent skateboards, scooters and protective equipment for a small fee.

There are also two street basketball courts, which cost €6 per hour to use or €8 at time when artificial light is needed.

The skate park was built at a cost of €2 million and in the second phase the municipality also plans to build a bouldering gym.

The park can already be used but will open officially on 25 May when Velenje will host one stop of the amateur skating competition Best Foot Forward Europe Tour, the municipality said.

The new urban sports centre in Ljubljana. Photo: Katja Kodba/STA

Indoor in Ljubljana

Ljubljana had a succession of indoor skate parks in disused industrial buildings over the years, but the last of them shut down two years ago when the property was demolished to make way for housing.

On 4 April a brand new indoor facility opened under the east stand of the Stožice stadium spanning over 1,000 m2. It is made from wood with metal, cement and granite detailing.

It will be open for recreational use and serve as training grounds for urban sports clubs.

The centre is split in two parts, one for BMX racing and the other suited for skate boards, rollerblades and scooters. It will be open in the afternoons and evenings throughout the year except on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The centre will be run by Šport Ljubljana, which manages city-owned sports infrastructure. Its director Tatjana Polajnar welcomed the new addition of "a specific sport" and is looking forward to sharing the facility with users "who are known to respect diversity".