SKATERS are hoping there will still be a spot for them on the iconic Elders Woolstores Ledge in Fremantle, even after its redevelopment later this year.

Running parallel to Cantonment Street, the Ledge is an internationally-renowned location where skaters test their deftness, due to its unique construction and location. 

The Ledge was not designed with skaters in mind, but its metal coping, length, and smooth pavement is ideal for skaters to demonstrate their skill in an urban environment.

Shaded by the Woolstores building for most of the day and lined with colourful graffiti and street art, it’s been a Mecca for skaters for decades.

The site was purchased by property developer Hesperia in 2022 and there are plans to turn it into a mix of apartments and commercial buildings. 

The WA Skateboarding Association is running a Woolstores Forever campaign to celebrate the ledge’s rich history, value, and importance to their community. 

WASA secretary Rowan White says they hope to preserve as much of the Ledge as possible throughout the redevelopment and are in negotiations with Hesperia.

“We hope that we can come to an agreement or a way that we can keep the most important parts of the holsters scalable and keep how special it is and the history involved with it,” Mr White said.

“It’s really important to show how much everyone cares and show how important it continues to be,” he said. 

“We’re just trying to celebrate how important Woolstores is and how much it continues to contribute to the local, national and international skate community, and the Freo community. 

Celebrate

 “We just want to celebrate it while we have it, and then do what we can to keep it in sort of a functional capacity for skating as the development goes ahead.” 

WASA is in the process of documenting the Ledge’s “consistent history”, which Mr White says includes national and international videos dating back to the 1980s. 

“It’s probably the oldest ongoing skate spot in the country,” Mr White said. 

“There’s all kinds of ways to skate on it, interpret it, and film videos on it, so it’s become so rich and full of life to us. 

“Because of all the specifics of how it happened to be built, it’s just one of the best places in the world to do that.”

• Photo by Katherine Kraayvanger

There’s no shortage of skateparks in Perth, but there is a major difference between parks and spots such as the Ledge which makes it so special, Mr White says. 

“Skateboarding existed before skateparks,” he explained. 

“It came out of the streets from surfers when there was no surf, so they built their own sort of thing and worked out how to reinterpret the urban environment with a skateboard.

“You can’t really have the same creative outlet at a skate park because you’re skating things that are made to be skated in a specific way.”

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER