The Sun Peaks Skatepark Foundation (SPSF) made a presentation to the Sun Peaks Municipal Council in October outlining its wish to eventually have a high quality skate park constructed within the municipality.
The SPSF addressed the organization’s structure, its mandate, goals and some conceptual drawings of what the Sun Peaks Skate Park might look like once built.
The SPSF has a vision of a 6,000 sq ft, professionally built skate park within the new community green space that’s currently being planned, and the municipal council shared that vision.
In supporting this grassroots community effort, the mayor and council agreed to provide enough land for the skate park and to provide the foundation with up to $50,000 in matching funds once it reaches its fundraising goal.
Mayor Al Raine feels it’s important for municipalities to support this kind of community initiative.
“I’m certainly a great supporter of helping third parties who are prepared to put up funding and financing for community projects like this and then municipal governments come in for a portion of that funding, versus groups showing up and wanting municipalities or tax payers to put up all the funding,” said Raine.
Having community support for this project is the key to its success said SPSF chair, Adam Earle.
“To have the mayor and council support this initiative right from the start is absolutely huge for us. It speaks volumes to have that backing when we start to apply for funding grants, sponsorships and are out there trying to raise money,” said Earle. “It’s obvious that people out there like the idea of a skate park in Sun Peaks as we had over 400 ‘likes’ on our Facebook page less than 24 hours after it was launched.”
The non-profit SPSF is currently applying with the Canada Revenue Agency to allow it to issue tax receipts for donations and has meetings planned with Spectrum Skateparks of North Vancouver with regards to concepts, designs and construction plans. The timeline for this project is based on raising the necessary funds for completion but the SPSF is looking at the summer of 2015 as a goal.
Click here for more information on the Sun Peaks Skatepark Foundation.
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