On a question that came down investing in new infrastructure or improving current facilities, city council narrowly voted for the former by lending its backing to a grant application by the Columbia Valley Skateboard Association at its meeting Tuesday afternoon.
The alternate proposal was to apply for funding to repair and upgrade the aquatic centre and community centre. At it’s meeting on Dec. 13, council voted 3-2 in favour of applying for provincial funding for a new skateboard park and bike park in Centennial Park.
“I’m sure this project is going to go through because the Premier wants active communities, active families to use the park,” Coun. Tony Scarcella said during discussion.
The grant funding, if successful, would come from the provincial government’s recently announced $30-million Community Recreation Program.
The staff report on the issue, prepared by parks and recreation Kerri Dawson, recommended supporting the skateboard and bike park application.
The staff report outlined the case for both applications, saying the Centennial Park facilities would add new amenities to Revelstoke, while the community centre upgrades would improve facilities used by the majority of the community.
Dawson wrote the Centennial Park facilities would cost between $628,000 and $828,000 and the application would be for $350-400,000; the community and aquatic centre upgrades would cost about $232,000 and the application would cover $185,600 of that.
“According to the report and according to what council has given to me in the past, the community would be quite excited and it would add value to our community and add value to the amenities that presently exist in our community,” Dawson told council, referring to the skateboard park.
Coun. Gary Starling voted against the staff recommendation, saying the city should look at getting funding to maintain existing infrastructure.
“I’m not anti-skateboard by any description of the imagination, but I do think at this point the pertinent thing to do is to make sure our pool stays in operational condition,” he said. “If we don’t use this money for that, it’s got come from somewhere else. We still have to do these repairs.”
Coun. Phil Welock sided with Starling, noting that the city’s top strategic priority was to repair existing infrastructure and the money would help the city with its financial struggles.
“It would logical to put the grant money – if we were able to acquire that funding – into the aquatic centre, which is obviously in need of repairs.”
Councillors Tony Scarcella, Chris Johnston and Steve Bender voted in favour of the skateboard park application.
Scarcella said that based on Premier Christy Clark’s priorities, the application would have a better chance of success. Bender added that a skateboard park would add another amenity to “make Revelstoke more attractive.”
Coun. Linda Nixon recused herself from the discussion due to a perceived conflict.
With council’s decision made, staff will be working with the CVSA and representatives of the bike park to write the application. The funding still needs to be approved by the province and any project that receives funding must be completed by March, 2015.
Chris Payne, a director with the CVSA, said the group was very excited about the development.
“It’s not just a skatepark and pump track,” he said after council’s decision. “It’s going to change the whole face down there to get people active.”
