Ramps and rails on the horizon as skatepark now under construction
Construction has begun on the new and improved Jasper Skatepark.
The 14-week project entered in the site preparation phase with a shark-fin-shaped section of Centennial Park fenced off as of Monday.
“It's amazing. It's so nice … such a dream-come-true kind of thing after so many years,” said Darrell Savage, spokesperson for the Jasper Skatepark Committee.
“It just feels good that the community can have this. I’m happy for Jasper to be able to have this for a long time. It's going to be a landmark.”
The committee has been fundraising to build a new skatepark for several years to replace the original facility behind the Jasper Junior/Senior High School. Installed in 2003, it has seen better days.
With their design in hand, the construction team from British Columbia’s New Line Skateparks will soon be at work carving and sculpting a chunk of Diamond A into an aesthetic and functional recreational skateboarding facility that will surely be enjoyed for years to come.
Once completed, it will have various terrains and features that can be enjoyed by skateboarders of different skill levels and disciplines. Landscaping features will make it appealing to everyone else as well.
Savage and many others in the local and extended skateboarding community have their fingers crossed for a smooth build with no surprises.
“We're hoping that everything can run smoothly, that we don't find any living room-sized boulders inside the ground there,” he said.
“I think barring those sorts of things we should be done by the end of the summer. We're expected to be skateboarding on it in September.”
The total skatepark contract came in at $1.058 million, which was achieved through a variety of sources including a few government grants and a $10,000 sponsorship from Decore Hotels.
The municipality committed up to $300,000 for the skatepark project in 2021 (conditional on the skatepark committee receiving matching funds) as well as $30,000 of in-kind support including earthworks, fencing, and washroom facilities.
In March, it approved in principle to offer a loan up to $150,000 to help reduce a recent projected shortfall of $140,000. At that time, the committee was looking at landing approximately $180,000 short of its goal to match the contract cost.
The loan would be self-funded from the municipality’s financial stabilization reserve and would not count against its debt capacity, said CAO Bill Given during the council meeting to decide the matter.
The Jasper Skatepark Committee is looking to host several fundraising efforts including a bottle drive on May 27 to help cover that loan as early as it can. Volunteers are also needed for that day.
Savage said that anyone who can offer time and energy to the cause can send an email to jasperskateparkcommittee@outlook.com to sign up, or message the Jasper Skatepark Committee directly on Facebook.
Those are just a few of the ways that people can channel their enthusiasm while construction continues.
“People around are already getting excited. It's just going to be good for the town,” Savage added.
“I'm just excited for the community of Jasper as a whole. I think it presents a great opportunity for the town in the future here going forward, a new opportunity for the town to have something that will make Jasper stand out.”
Scott Hayes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Jasper Fitzhugh
