The UK’s largest dedicated Parkour training facility has quadrupled in size, after North Lanarkshire Council (NLC) commissioned facilities provider Freemove to carry out the £100,000 upgrade.

The contract involved extending the second phase of the West End Park in Coatbridge, Scotland, vastly increasing the size of the purpose-built site after its users identified a need for larger facilities. Parkour is growing in popularity across the UK and pioneer Sébastien Foucan recently extolled the high-octane activity’s virtues at ukactive’s Flame Conference.

Working in partnership with NLC, Freemove started on the site in June and the urban sports specialists completed the project by mid-July, with the opening event taking place last week (18 July).

“NLC fully supports this development and the benefits it brings to the local area,” said NLC play services officer Ross Dunn.

“The opportunity for increased physical exercise, social interaction and diversionary activities for our young people is a positive step for the community and a fitting legacy within North Lanarkshire, which is a proud host venue of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.”

The West End Park site opened in June 2011 as Scotland’s first purpose-built Parkour course. It was created after young people in Coatbridge called for a local Parkour facility and a proposal was submitted to NLC’s Local Development Programme. Having worked closely with Strathclyde Police, the council invested £35,000 to create the facility, which has continued to grow in popularity with local traceurs.