Welcome to Winter 9 Results - November 2005
Open Category:
1st - Nathan Rolline
2nd - Beau Larson
3rd - Mikey Tapaquon
Ages 14-16:
1st - Taylor Senft
2nd - Cody Williamson
3rd - Aaron Switzer
Ages 13+under:
1st - Colin Shewchuk
2nd - Sarah Molder
3rd - Ringo Jedlic
Fourstar Best Trick:
(on 5 set)
1st - Mikey Tapaquon - switch inward heel, bigspin flip
2nd - Corey Lakeman - switch 360 flip
3rd - Danny Wartman - fakie 360 flip
View
Photo Gallery.
Skatepark Update
Reports available
The new advisory committee report is now on the web. It recommends consideration of five sites. Les Sherman and Kinsman Park South (a new south-end location) are ranked highest, but in the covering letter the administration gives the nod to the Science Centre site, saying it is “relatively centrally located” (a bit of a stretch) and meets the original criteria (except for a bus and the vibe, A.K.A. “sense of place”). The administration says the site is west of the Imax, but elsewhere in the document it is described as east. I think they mean east? Despite its high ranking on paper the Kinsman Park site is expected to drop further down the list once the consultations are underway, due to various local factors. The Communities 4 Sk8rs brief is also on the web. Both documents are at http://www.regina.ca/meetings.php3
Mayor meeting
We met with the Mayor on Wednesday. We had good representation from parents, skaters and community folk from both sides of the creek. Here is what the Mayor said: He had read our brief and said it was helpful and contained “information our people didn’t have before”. He gave us his version of the process to date, which he felt was flawed but is now “back on track.” He said that the initial undertaking hadn’t looked at locations on land not owned by the city, so therefore the city needed to expand the list. He said, “If at the end of the process it’s Les Sherman Park, then it’s Les Sherman Park.” The main thing is to ensure it is an open and transparent process. He said the door isn’t closed on Les Sherman Park and “my goal is to be subject to persuasion”. There will be community consultations; the dates of meetings will be finalized in November. He predicted the whole process would take 4-5 months. He said, “Don’t feel Les Sherman is off the table”; it is still part of the consultation. He also noted that when these types of developments are brought in, people initially opposed tend to adjust once the facilities are in place. But during the consultation phase, we should expect to hear opposition. The mayor was unclear and/or unsure about whether or not the decision would be brought forward to City Council, or if it would be settled at the committee level. He said if we want to be successful, “just continue doing what you’re doing.” He agreed to keep his future media comments neutral.
Parks and Community Services Meeting
4:30 PM, Wed. Nov. 16, City Hall
This is the beginning of the decision process. Communities 4 Sk8rs will present our brief and hand in the signed petitions. The city administration will present its report with the site recommendations. These items are for the committee’s information – the committee will be asked to approve taking the five sites out to the community for consultation. A decision on the site won’t be made, but it is a good idea to make our presence felt and help the committee be mentally prepared for anti-skatepark backlash so they don’t freak out and shut it down again. The city administration report clearly states that the location is up to the four-member committee, not council.
Don’t forget the jam!
Skate jam at the indoor park on Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. Fun for all.
Saskatoon plans more skate parks
Courtesy of Prairie Print Clipping Service.by Lori Coolican - Star Phoenix - Nov. 9, 2005
Skateboard-loving youngsters in Saskatoon could have three more places to jump and glide a year from now if a proposal to add new skateboard parks survives the upcoming budget process.
The city's planning and operations committee approved a proposal Tuesday to add three satellite parks for beginner to intermediate skateboarders in Umea District Park near Lawson Heights Mall, the Blairmore suburban area and the City Centre suburban area - either Scott Park or Pierre Radison District Park - as well as moving an existing skate area out of the basketball court and into another part of Forest Park.
"When we started with the satellite site program, our concept was to try and get them distributed geographically across the city so there was relative ease of access for kids to get to one of these sites," explained community initiatives manager Shannon Hanson.
"Our hope was to get them constructed in 2006 so that possibly by fall they would be available for use," Hanson said.
The plan now goes to the city's budget committee for approval. Administrators expect to fund the $168,000 cost of expansion through a productivity improvement loan to be paid back over five years, starting in 2007.
"There is a great demand for more skate parks for sure," said Corey Neufeld, who owns skate shop Nine Times Boarding and consulted with the city on designing the park in Lakewood.
"It's very important that there's lots of skate parks in different areas, because most of the people who skateboard will be able to use them more if they can get to them themselves instead of needing rides or to take the bus across town. It's going to make it better for many more kids," Neufeld said.
The Lions skateboard program currently offered by the city includes four satellite parks of 1,000 square feet each. as well as the city-wide facility for boarders of all experience levels on 20,000 square feet in Victoria Park.
Parks and Community Services Committee
Cc. your emails to
pfiacco@regina.caChair - Bill Gray
761-0919 (h)
777-7178 (w)
bgray@regina.caVice Chair - Jerry Flegel
777-6689
jflegel@regina.caTerry Hincks
949-9690 (h)
777-7177 (w)
thincks@regina.caBill Hutchinson
584-1739
Email:
bhutchin@regina.ca Wade Murray
596-1035
wmurray@regina.ca
