Casa Skate – a new generation of skateboarders in Morocco

As Casablanca has boomed, so has the city’s skateboarding infrastructure, a boon for young people hopeful for the future

Casablanca, Morocco – It is 5:30pm and the huge Rachidi skate park – commonly known as “Nevada Park” – in Arab League Park, central Casablanca, is bustling with dozens of happy children dashing about on scooters and rollerblades.

The biggest skate park on the African continent is a lively place for families and young people.

Off to one side, Ayoub, Yassine, Akram, Mouad and Oussama are skateboarding, as they do almost every day. Once restricted to areas in the street and a single, dilapidated park, they now have ample space to practise their sport.

For the past few years, the wholesale regeneration of Casablanca as Morocco’s economic centre has gone hand in hand with the emergence of new skate parks and other infrastructure to support a growing culture of urban sport.

This has opened up a wealth of opportunities for young people like Akram, who see skateboarding as a way of expressing their identities and hopes for the future of their city.