Black Diamond’s skatepark expansion got the go-ahead from Town council, and the project is ready to start as soon as preliminary work can take place on the site.
The new skateboard park will be built on land near the pump track, with the bulk of the cost being covered through a community fundraising campaign that began nearly two years ago when Black Diamond resident and business owner Colin Fleming noticed a need for better skateboard facilities.
Through his efforts, and those of local businesses and individuals, $194,132 is available from fundraising. The Town contributed a further $25,000 to be used if necessary, and council agreed to authorize the total expenditure, to a maximum of $219,132, during its June 1 meeting.
Since 2020, the Town has provided a financial holding spot for the privately-raised money, which is why council needed to authorize its use.
The project was awarded to Transition Construction during a committee meeting on May 24, based on a design it submitted in May.
During the process of planning and design, it was decided the existing skateboard park will remain in place, with the new park being built nearby.
During the June 1 meeting, Sharlene Brown, CAO of Black Diamond, said adding to the existing skateboard park would require demolition of some of the obstacles and could create seams in the concrete. Demolition would create added costs, while cutting and replacing concrete could result in uneven surfaces not safe for skateboarding.
“The team that’s been working on that, which includes the fundraiser, have come up with a new site location adjacent to the expanded pump track,” she said. "It will be better for construction.”
Coun. Daryl Lalonde said he had no problems keeping the existing skateboard park.
“I like the idea of the second location because it creates more variety,” he said. “I’m excited for this whole thing to get started.”
The start date for construction has not yet been determined. Ground preparation work will take place after an initial site visit and geotechnical work, said Les Quinton, the Town’s parks and recreation manager.
“We’re hoping to have it ready this summer,” Quinton said.
Due to the amount of construction that will be going on in the area, this year’s Canada Day celebrations will be relocated to the green space at 299 6 Avenue SW.