A new skatepark and mountain bike skills park are one step closer to becoming reality after Parks Canada approved two locations to build the recreational amenities in town.
The Jasper Skatepark Committee and the Jasper Park Cycling Association (JPCA) warmly welcomed the news.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just really excited to see things are starting to happen,鈥� said Darrell Savage, president of the Jasper Skatepark Committee, which recently became a non-profit organization.
鈥淲hen you look at the progress from just this year it looks like this thing is actually going to happen.鈥�
Matt Staneland, chair of the JPCA, echoed his comments.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been an idea and a concept for a long time and so now that it鈥檚 actually happening it鈥檚 kind of exciting,鈥� said Staneland.
Both groups had been bouncing the ideas around for years, but things didn鈥檛 really get moving until this spring when council officially threw its support behind the proposed locations.
The skatepark will be rebuilt where it is currently located, between the Jasper Activity Centre and the town鈥檚 tennis courts, albeit as a permanent, state-of-the-art concrete structure. The mountain bike skills park will be built between the train tracks and Connaught Drive, across from Mount Robson Inn and Maligne Lodge in the west end of town.
Parks Canada鈥檚 Planning and Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) officially approved both locations Aug. 4, however the permit for the mountain bike skills park is temporary and must be renewed every five years. Parks Canada also retains the right to terminate the permit if the superintendent requires the land for residential development, but can only do so if Parks gives one year鈥檚 notice.
鈥淭his is the last major hurdle,鈥� said Mark Fercho, the town鈥檚 chief administrative officer, who informed council about PDAC鈥檚 decision during a council meeting Aug. 16.
With the approved locations both groups will now be able to begin fundraising and applying for grants.
鈥淥ur immediate goal right now is to raise about $10,000 to start the planning process,鈥� said Staneland, adding a sub-committee will be meeting at Wicked Cup to discuss the next steps Aug. 21 at 4 p.m.
鈥淲e have six people on board to divvy up the work, write the grants, research what other grants are accessible to us and which businesses will be open to helping us out.鈥�
鈥淥nce we have a plan in place then we can start hopefully building from there.鈥�
He said he hopes to begin preparing the site in the fall so construction can begin next spring.
He also said he鈥檚 been in contact with several companies who are interested in the project and said he also wants to hear from the cycling community about what kind of features they鈥檇 like to see in the park.
鈥淎 lot of people have been asking if it鈥檚 going to be a big free ride park, no it鈥檚 not,鈥� said Staneland. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 have the terrain for that. It鈥檚 going to primarily be a learning area with some progression and some bigger features so when you travel you have some experience on features you鈥檒l find in places like B.C.鈥�
He also took the time to emphasize the impact it will have on the wider community.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be great for kids in the community to help keep them engaged in cycling throughout the course of their life and hopefully breed some life-long cyclists.鈥�
The push to build a permanent skatepark started in 2014 when Ezra Jenkins, a local highschool student, gathered more than 400 signatures on a petition asking for a new skate park.
About a year later the teens pitched their idea to municipal council with the help of teen outreach worker Anna DeClercq.
Fast forward to today and the Jasper Skatepark Committee is excited to see how quickly things have progressed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be great,鈥� said Savage. 鈥淚t provides an amenity that鈥檚 relative to the community.鈥�
Paul Clarke
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