Nelson Public Outdoor Skatepark

Overview:

Nelson, BC is an amazing community to live in, and be a part of. There is an abundance of art, music and culture displayed all over the city, and an active lifestyle is a stranger to none that choose to live here. However, for the youth of Nelson - an Outdoor Skatepark is no longer just a desire, it is also a necessity. This is where I introduce the Kootenay Lake Outdoor Skatepark Society (KLOSPS), a non-profit organization that is run by the youth of Nelson for the youth of Nelson. The society has identified an unfulfilled need for a facility which allows locals to continue to practice and participate in the sports that they have already committed their lives too, in an approved and legal site.

The need for a skatepark in Nelson is straightforward. Skateboarding has been a very popular and positive part of the town’s culture and for the last 20 or so years, there have been no appropriate legal public places to skateboard. The local skateboarders have had no choice but to skate on sidewalks and other locations, which is against city bylaws. Consider that skateboarding today, with 16 million enthusiasts nationwide, is more popular than baseball for kids ages 6-17 (National Sporting Goods Association, 2000). Nelson offers baseball fields, soccer pitches, hockey rinks, curling rinks etc but no outdoor public skatepark. The skatepark will be free and open to skateboarders, inline skaters and bikers and will act as a much needed anchor for youth activities and energy in Nelson.

Skateboarding is often embraced by hard to reach youth, kids that do not fit in and tend to not participate in organized sports. It is also popular with low income families as it is a relatively inexpensive sport . A skatepark gives its users a sense of community and belonging. Also, by having the youth involved and steering the process from start to finish it gives them a tremendous sense of accomplishment and teaches them valuable life lessons. There has already been considerable work done on programs for youth at the skatepark once it is constructed. A multi-stakeholder team comprised of representatives from city and local governments, youth organizations, police, engineers and others have already come together and delivered a report to Town Council. After more than a decade, this initiative has the critical mass and support of the community and, with proper funding, it will become a reality.