Skatepark planning progresses
Backers seek to secure ‘huge’ chance to realize dream
Supporters of Pemberton’s proposed skateboard park are firming up design plans for the long-awaited facility and gearing up for a push to secure a chunk of funding needed to complete the project.
A workshop hosted last Wednesday (Nov. 4) by the Pemberton Skateboard Society and the Village of Pemberton drew about 30 participants ranging in age from 11 or 12 to 55 or 60, taking the chance to “speak their minds” about what they want to see in the skatepark being planned for the lot next to the new community centre, said Jeff Clarke of the skateboard society.
Clarke, who said the society volunteers have been pursuing a skatepark for Pemberton since 2003, said the well-attended meeting covered topics such as the preliminary designs, what the community wants to see on the high-profile site to tie together the fun bike and skate facilities, the funding that has been secured so far and how the community can get involved with the push to come up with the rest.
The meeting was the first jointly hosted public planning discussion for the skatepark since the announcement in September that Pemberton had won grants from the federal and provincial governments to cover two-thirds of the cost of the project, or up to $245,236, with the Pemberton Skateboard Society and the Village working to contribute the remaining one-third.
Clarke said those grants are “huge.”
“It’s really our big opportunity to get this done. It’s not something that we’re going to want to miss the boat on because it’s not likely to happen again,” Clarke said, adding that the ball is now in the community’s court to gather its third of the funding to secure the matching grants and make the project happen.
“There’s a big demand in Pemberton to get this done, (and) we’ve had a lot of support from the mayor and council and people from the (Squamish-Lillooet Regional District),” Clarke said.
He and wife Annikka Snow have continued to carry the torch for the project along with skaters in the community, and Clarke said he remains committed because of the unusual and interesting dynamics in skateparks. People of all ages and backgrounds connect, respect each other and enjoy themselves in the facilities, and the parks give people an outlet and a chance to “shine at something” that doesn’t require a lot of equipment and expense, Clarke said.
The skateboard society retained Jim Barnum and Spectrum Skatepark Creations Ltd. to create initial designs, informed by community input, to help draw up a budget to apply for the funding. Clarke said the design is “probably going to change a fair bit before we actually build it,” as the community members and skaters weigh in about what they do and don’t want in the park.
Clarke expects another design meeting will be held eventually to nail down ideas before Barnum finishes the designs.
But first, there’s fundraising to do and donations to seek. Some of the skatepark’s supporters want to host their own events or parties and donate the money to the cause, Clarke said, while grant applications will be made and any community donations of machines, materials or services will be gratefully received to make the park even better.
The current goal is to get the funding nailed down as soon as possible so construction can commence next summer, Clarke said, as the government grants are set to expire in March 2011.
Caroline Lamont, the Village’s manager of development services, said the Village will support the society in fundraising, get a geotechnical quote and discuss project management to help it along.
To see design photos and event information, join the Pemberton Skateboard Society group on Facebook. For volunteering and donations, call Clarke and Snow at (604) 894-5839.
