New skate parks launch skateboarding boom in Casablanca

Casablanca’s skyline has been growing rapidly. Glass towers are popping up in areas like Anfa, home of Casa Finance City – one of Africa’s largest financial districts. The changes come as the city positions itself to be Morocco’s financial capital. 

Amid all of the construction, there’s been an investment in recreational infrastructure including skate parks.  

This has paved the way for the all-American sport of skateboarding to take foot in Morocco. The hub of the Moroccan skateboarding scene is the Nevada Skate Park in Casablanca’s Arab League Park.

“Before the Nevada skate park was built in 2018, which enabled us to make a lot of progress, there was nothing,” Akram, who teaches skateboarding, told Al Jazeera. 

Today, the Nevada skate park is the largest on Africa’s continent, according to Al Jazeera. 

Skateboarders interviewed by Al Jazeera said they were drawn to the sport as an escape from their problems and to help improve their mental health. 

While they’re thankful for the emergence of more skate parks, they say the sport still lacks the kind of backing it receives in more developed markets. 

“There is no brand, sponsor or competition that might enable us to have real ambitions thanks to skateboarding. We’re not there yet,” said Akram.