Skip to content

Black Diamond gives nod to new skate park design

The hopeful design for a proposed skate park upgrade has received council’s blessing.

The hopeful design for a proposed skate park renovation in Black Diamond has received council’s blessing.

Colin Fleming presented to council on Feb. 17 the design selected in a survey circulated in the community by him and other members of the Black Diamond Skate Park Fundraiser committee.

Council voted following the presentation that the Town would officially support the proposed design, as well as agree to offer letters of support for any grant applications made by the skate park committee. 

“It just feels really good,” said Fleming in an interview.

Knowing he’s working towards something residents will enjoy and benefit from is a driver for Fleming.

“I wouldn’t want to do this if people were opposed to it, so just seeing the amount of donations and whatnot that have come in … I think the whole town’s supportive of me," he said. 

“Even the leaders in town, it’s probably relieving for them to have someone who wants to do improvements and doesn’t need the Town to do everything for them.”

Coun. Brian Marconi asked Fleming during the presentation what the lifespan would be for the skate park, and if changing tastes would render it obsolete.

Fleming responded that it was fairly timeless design.

“I would’ve loved this 40 years ago while skateboarding," he said. 

“It’s got flows and curves — It’s not as complex as people would like it, but it’s not a half-million-dollar skate park either.”

Mayor Ruth Goodwin said in an interview that she was pleased to see the group present and encouraged by the overwhelming support for the chosen design.

Also put forward was a detailed budget for the project, designed by New Line Skateparks, coming in at $184,500.

The entirety of the cost is being fundraised by the committee, with no cost to taxpayers. 

The Town did amend the skate park’s 2021 revenue and expenditures to $200,000 to account for the fundraising and work with the note that no money would come from the tax base.

The majority of respondents in the survey were over 20, something Fleming speculates may be due to parents filling it out, but also because of the age agnosticism of skateboarding.

“I know that skateboarding between the age of 20 and 30 is taking off again because of all the skate parks available,” said Fleming, adding COVID-19 restrictions may be leading people to try new outdoor pursuits.

“Because of last year’s COVID, people are just bringing back their inner kid. We have the 3-D drawings now and you can actually physically see what we're doing.”

More than $70,000 has been collected so far through donations from the Lions Club, Western Financial Group, as well as bottle drives.

Fleming said having the Town backing the project, along with the final design and price breakdown, gives the group a major leg up in applying for upcoming grants.

“When we go in for any kind of grant funding, we can show them what it's going to cost us and why it's going to cost us that,” Fleming said.

“I’m not confident that we’re going to be travelling any time soon, so it’ll be nice to have something for the local kids to do."

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks