Sunday May 14, 2023 | COLWOOD, BC [Updated 1:35 pm]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Celebrated by West Shore Parks & Recreation (WSPR) as the host, the grand opening and ribbon-cutting of the Thrifty Foods Skatepark was celebrated by mayors and community leaders from around the west shore region.
And of course the site and event was actively enjoyed by numerous skateboarders who showed up to enjoy the world-class skateable/rideable landscape on the back field behind the Juan de Fuca Rec Centre, adjacent to The Q Centre, at 1767 Island Highway.
The outdoor recreation feature is nicely situated alongside a stand of older growth trees, with grassy areas alongside the concrete, and fairly ample parking.
The $1,279,000 skatepark was designed and built by Vancouver-based New Line Skateparks featuring a hybrid conceptual design.
The park is aimed at being welcoming, inclusive, flexible, exciting and memorable for all ages and abilities,” said Geoff Welham, Manager of Recreation, West Shore Parks & Recreation.
The west shore region has gone without a public skatepark for about seven years, after the skatepark alongside the old Belmont Secondary School on Jacklin Road was closed in 2016. The new Belmont Market stands on that ground now, with Thrifty Foods as the anchor tenant plus many other commercial outlets and residential buildings.
In the ribbon-cutting photo lineup were Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson, Colwood Mayor Doug Kobayashi, Metchosin Mayor Marie-Térèse Little, Highlands Mayor Ken Williams, and View Royal was represented by Councillor Damian Kowalewich who also chairs the WSPR board.
Each of those five municipalities contributes financially based on population percentage within the west shore region (Langford paying in about 50 percent).
Others in the crowd of about 200 people under the hot summer sun (almost 30°C by mid-afternoon) included former View Royal Mayor David Screech; Colwood Councillors Dean Jantzen, Kim Jordison, and Misty Olsen; Langford Councillors Kimberley Guiry, Colby Harder, and Mary Wagner; former SD62 trustee Wendy Hobbs; The Village Initiative consultant Cindy Andrew; and others.
Emcee for the formal speeches was Grant Brown, CAO, West Shore Parks & Recreation Society.
West Shore Parks & Recreation remarks:
Speeches included details about the timeline and contributors over the seven years it has taken to restore an open community skatepark to the west shore.
“The skatepark projecct has been a wonderful demonstration of how community organizations and community members may collaborate and support each other’s vision resulting for an amenity for all ages to enjoy,” said Brown.
“The WSPR mission is to provide a diverse, accessible recreation and sport opportunities that offer all west shore residents excellent experiences for healthy lifestyles,” he said, saying the skatepark is “an added community space”.
The skatepark is an outlet for unstructured play and physical literacy and offers a recreational opportunity beyond organized sport. The skatepark venue is for all ages, for friends and family in the outdoors. Youth can gather, participate and stay connected within their community, it was explained by Brown.
West Shore Parks & Recreation (WSPR) Chair Damian Kowalewich said at the podium: “Wow, what a setting!”, set to outline “how we got here and where we’re going”.
He acknowledged the five municipalities that support the West Shore Parks & Recreation operations and facilities: View Royal, Langford, Colwood, Metchosin and Highlands. Staff and community were also recognized in getting the new skatepark launched.
Kowalewich highlighted “the expertise and passion of Jimmy Miller and his team and the West Shore Skatepark Coalition” who he said filled “a huge gap” after the Belmont skatepark was removed to allow for commercial and residential development. There will be new programming aimed at a range of incomes.
“Thrifty Foods has been very generous as the flagship donor, to make this happen,” said Kowalewich. The federal government was also a large contributor. Hard work, countless hours, fundraising efforts were noted as part of the ultimate success of the skatepark.
WSPR employee Bobbie Neal, Community Development Coordinator, was acknowledged for the many hours she contributed to the project.
West Shore Skatepark Coalition:
Jimmy Miller, president of the West Shore Skatepark Coalition, addressed the crowd. Miller’s extensive community leadership includes VicWest Skatepark, Gordon Head Skatepark in 1997, the significant Vic West Skatepark expansion of 2001, as well as the recent Topaz Skatepark build in Victoria.
He said the west shore skatepark project represents “collective perseverance of spirit”.
Miller talked about “facing bureaucracy head on” but also “developed allies in unforeseen areas and detractors where we thought we may have had supporters”. He articulated “grit, devotion and dedication” as part of what it takes to launch a community-based skatepark.
The overall impression of and attitude about skateboarders has evolved since the 1980s, said Miller. But when the Belmont Skatepark was dismantled in 2015 “all of those shed stigmas reapplied”. Overcoming that mindset was part of getting to the actualization of the West Shore Thrifty Foods Skatepark today.
Skills of physical and mental resilience are part of the skateboard experience. Miller says the inclusion and diversity that is welcome at a skatepark offers a safety net for vulnerable youth. “Skateparks are a valid part of our community,” said Miller.
He acknowledged Pacific Economic Development Canada and Thrifty Foods for their support.
Staff project lead remarks:
Bobbie Neal, Community Development Coordinator, WSPR talked about the highs and lows of seven years of project development and the final joy of the opening day. She acknowledged the many community donors; many individuals and businesses contributed between $100 and $1,000. “It takes a village,” she said.
Professional design and construction:
The Langley-based New Line Skateparks was acknowledged for their expertise in helping to build the skatepark.
Two-hour event:
Refreshments and other giveaways were offered by Thrifty Foods as people from across the west shore recreation and leadership communities mingled.
===== RELATED:
Skate park grand opening coming up May 13 (Apr 30, 2023)
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends is a professional news portal at islandsocialtrends.ca . Fully online as a daily news portal since mid-2020, Island Social Trends emerged from previous print publications in the west shore: MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010), Sooke Voice News (2011-2013), and West Shore Voice News (2014-2020).
Since 2008, journalist and editor Mary P Brooke has taken a socioeconomic lens to reporting and analyzing the news of the west shore and south Vancouver Island region, including BC and national news impacts. [See Island Social Trends Politics Archive]. As of 2023 she reports with the BC Legislative Press Gallery.
Mary P Brooke has also focused on news of School District 62 at the board level since 2014 [see Island Social Trends Education archive] and has covered West Shore Parks & Recreation over the years (particularly the transitional years 2014-2020). During 2020 and 2021 she reported daily on COVID to build the ongoing COVID pandemic archive. Starting 2022 she has been building a Food Security news archive.
Watch for the renewed print edition of Island Social Trends in summer 2023. Advertisers welcome – inquiries.