A skateboard park on Gabriola Island was officially opened.
A celebration took place at the Huxley Community Park skatepark on Gabriola Island, today, May 28, with Regional District of Nanaimo and the local skateboarding community organizing.
Since late March, residents, as well as skateboarders from across Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, have been enjoying the new skatepark while other park features were completed, said an RDN press release. They include a transition/flow zone including clamshells, pump bumps and vert walls and a street run section with a quarter pipe, stair rail, manual pad and ledge, flat bar and oververt transition.
In addition, a new parking lot has been added, as well as pathway leading to the community park playground and sports courts, the press release said. Landscaping, a pair of shade structures, benches and fencing will be added later in the year.
Vanessa Craig, RDN Area B director, said the park will be a valued amenity.
“Having a skatepark on Gabriola Island enables our local children and youth to hone their skills and have fun close to home,” Craig said in the press release. “We are grateful to the Gabriola community for their enthusiasm and support for this project and we are delighted to celebrate the skatepark together.”
Dave Reid, of Keep on Pushin’ Gabriola, said the community worked hard to make the skatepark a reality.
“The youth of Gabriola started pushing for a skatepark in the early 1990s. They dreamed, they fundraised, they advocated strongly – they pushed,” Reid said in the release. “We witnessed those efforts, those frustrations, and we joined the cause and we kept on pushing. I dare say it was worth the wait. We now have a world-class facility that is the hub of our community.”
The RDN provided $773,700 for the project through $137,346 from the Electoral Area B Community Parks budget, along with a $567,354 contribution from the Province of B.C. and Government of Canada through the Community, Culture, and Recreation Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, and a community fundraising contribution of $69,000 from Keep on Pushin’ Gabriola, the press release said.
For more information, go to www.getinvolved.rdn.ca/gabriola-skatepark.
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