Jan 18, 2011 | Activism, Skateparks
According to the Red Deer Advocate, Sylvan Lake will be getting a skatepark soon:
New skateboard site ‘a good fit’ for Sylvan Lake
Sylvan Lake skateboarders can officially look forward to a new skatepark at the town’s Four Seasons Park.
Town council has approved a recommendation from the task force that has been searching for a site for the proposed skatepark.
It considered at least four locations before zeroing in on the park at 47th Avenue and 43rd Street. It benefits from a central location and is already widely used by ball and soccer leagues. The Sylvan Lake and District Family and Community Centre is nearby.
Mayor Susan Samson is confident the committee has picked a winner.
“We looked at so many different locations and at the last public open house (the skatepark) was overwhelmingly supported at Four Seasons,” she said. “It’s a good fit because it’s a recreational area.”
Being near the community centre means there are staff around if needed, as well as washrooms and plenty of parking. The ball diamonds also screen the park partially from nearby homes.
Council has been a big booster of the skatepark. It has approved $325,000 to be used for design and construction of the first part of the skatepark.
A local fundraising society has also been formed to generate more cash to expand the skatepark.
The society plans to apply for provincial grants as well as organize fundraising events.
“(The skatepark) will be usable with the amount of money we have allocated,” said the mayor. “It can become bigger and grander depending on what money comes from the user groups.”
Other locations that were rejected included a spot near Lakeshore Drive, next to H.J. Cody High School, and on Beacon Hill, close to the town’s new RCMP station.
Jan 17, 2011 | Activism, Skateboarding
Skaters for Public Skateparks (SPS) has lead the way when it comes to skatepark advocacy for a long time. They’ve published numerous editions of the invaluable Public Skatepark Development Guide. Their recent article “30 Reasons” sheds light on many of the benefits of skateparks. Click the image below to read it:
Jan 14, 2011 | Skateboarding, Video
Dustin Henry is now riding for Quiksilver. Here’s his welcome video:
They also put out a press release:
Vancouver, BC (Jan 11th, 2011) – Quiksilver is excited to announce the addition of Dustin Henry to the Canadian Skateboard Team. Originally from Ontario, Dustin now calls Calgary home. At 17 years old, Dustin already has a national cover under his belt and numerous web features.
“Dustin’s young, humble and talented, that’s a great combo to have. We’re excited to be a part of his future in skateboarding. ” Trevn Sharp Quiksilver Canada Team Manager.
“We are really excited about the upcoming year with Quiksilver, the team keeps getting better and we have a bunch of tours and events lined up for spring/ summer 2011.” Dario Phillips Quiksilver Canada Marketing Manager.
Currently shooting with Calgary filmmaker “Bacon” on his latest video titled “Serenity now” to be release in 2011. “I’m super stoked to be a part of this team,” says Dustin.
Jan 13, 2011 | By-laws, Interviews, Skateboarding, Skateparks
Josh Etherington, CASE’s Co-Chair, is in this week’s edition of FFWD Weekly. Click his photo to read the interview:
Jan 12, 2011 | Skateboarding, Skateparks
We at CASE firmly believe that Calgary needs an indoor skatepark. It’s nearly impossible to skate outdoors in this city for well over half of the year due to the snow and cold.
In a major city like the one we live in, there should be a facility to accommodate a group of around 40,000 (estimated) users.
Skate Jungle Sticker
Many privately-run indoor skateparks have come and gone in our city for a variety of reasons. Some may have been poorly run, but the main reasons for their failure are as follows:
-Prohibitive real estate costs: it’s no secret that Calgary has expensive real estate — we’re known for it. Because rent is usually calculated by square foot, the relatively large area required to house a skatepark becomes pricey. Especially when placed in a desirable, accessible area with parking and a building that is not dilapidated with no obtrusive support pillars.
-Insurance costs: it is very difficult to find a company to who will provide insurance for a skatepark. The few that provide this service in Canada charge exorbitant amounts, mostly due to hysteria created decades ago when skateboarding was deemed “unsafe at any speed”.
These two factors add up to a hefty price tag to skate at an indoor skatepark. $10 to skate for a few hours? Most people would say “no way!” Of course, a facility would have to be very good to be able to charge anywhere near that and Calgary has had such facilities. Even then most skateboarders had trouble coughing up cash for something they can generally do for free outdoors in warmer months.
The Source Indoor Skatepark
Indoor skateparks in Canada are not impossible to achieve however. Regina, Saskatchewan has had one running for over a decade and their model is proven to work. The City of Regina has donated the building and therefore takes on any insurance liability. The staff are paid through grants applied for annually but the skatepark is self-sufficient and actually turns a profit from the small user fees and concession stand. It’s only $3 to skate for a day and most of the revenue goes back into the park for events and ramp maintenance. Helmets are required. Local skateshop, The Tiki Room volunteers time and effort to run it. Click here to view more images of the park. Video link.
Regina Indoor Skatepark
Calgary can get back on the skateboard map. Our city was once a hub of skateboard activity with many facilities running simultaneously which were visited by top pros. All we need is the help and support of City council and we’ll be rolling — outdoors and indoors. Hopefully Calgary will be known for something other than high real estate costs, The Stampede, and lack of skateparks.
Skatopia Pro Poster (year unknown
