AlmaguinNews.com - Powassan kids lobby for skatepark

POWASSAN – A delegation of Powassan skateboarders have requested a new skateboard park from council. The trio, Bailey Mogridge, Shawn Duncan and spokesperson Christopher Giesler, have left several messages attached to the municipal office front door over the summer indicating the need for a new facility in the Lions Park beside the Sportsplex.

“Every morning when I come to the office there’s a new poster on the door,” said deputy clerk Nicky Kunkel. “It’s really been kind of cute. Inviting the kids to come before council was a good way for them to get their message across and also show that this is a responsible group that is willing to actively participate to make this project happen.”

“We know that you have had concerns about the park, but we’ve come up with an idea of charging the kids a user fee,” Christopher told council on Sept. 2.

Councillor Gerry Giesler, chair of the recreation committee, indicated that the 2008 original rec budget had a line item of $15,000 to build a new skateboard area, “but that got slashed during budget deliberations,” he said. “We already have plans drawn up and were ready to go until we lost the funding.”

Councillor Nancy Barner commended the young men for their presentation and said “I think the user fee is a very good idea. It’s something that has never been proposed before.” She cautioned the young delegation that “we have had trouble with vandalism at the skateboard park before,” but added “I think the user fees might help eliminate that because the kids would be taking some ownership by paying a small fee.”

Several years ago Donna Arkwright worked with the local skateboard enthusiasts to outfit the former tennis court area of the park with wooden ramps for skateboarding, asking local merchants and residents to contribute supplies.

“I was involved in that project,” said Councillor George Thompson, “and I was also there the day we ripped it all out (because of problems with vandalism and other concerns from neighbouring residents). At that time we’d asked for adult volunteers to help supervise the area, but we never had one volunteer come forward. That was one of the biggest problems.”

Councillor Roger Glabb told the boys “it’s fine for you to come here and ask us to build the park, but are you willing to work in partnership to get this thing going?”

“I’ve spoken to a lot of kids who are interested and we could bring council a pledge sheet with the ages of the kids so that you would know the age group and how much money the user fees may bring in,” suggested Christopher.

“I think that by suggesting the kids take ownership, and have input into the plans, that the park would be less susceptible to future damage,” said councilor Giesler. “It makes a big difference when the kids want to be involved.”

Councillor Peter McIsaac, a member of the recreation committee, invited Christopher to the next rec meeting.

“I think you need to advise us on the plans for this park and what the youth would want. I don’t think you want someone 40 years old planning this for you. If you help us right from day one, than I think it would be a great project.”

The delegation has already been thinking about what they would like to see in the park. “A lot of us like to trick bike,” said Christopher, “but in the past there’s always been a sign saying no bikes in the skatepark. If we work together, can we make it both a skate and bike park, if we promise to be careful?”

“If we make you part owners, then we can discuss the plans at the next recreation meeting,” said Giesler. He also suggested that with the municipality receiving over $300,000 in funding from the province, announced last week, “maybe we can use that win-fall to offset putting money back into the rec budget for this project.”

Mayor Bob Young thanked the young men for their presentation and said, “It looks to me like this could be a go. If not in this year’s budget, then certainly in 2009.”