INNISFAIL - Following a review of potential site locations for the new skatepark, town council has agreed the best option is the one already chosen.
The town will also now work with the Innisfail Horseshoe Club, which has been staunchly opposed to the chosen site at the intersection of 42nd Street and 51st Avenue, to look at relocation options.
The decisions by council were made at its regular meeting on June 25 through a recommendation by administration to move forward with a detailed project design, along with costing at the site, which last winter was estimated to be at least $680,000. Council has already put aside $150,000 of that cost into a reserve fund, while the Innisfail Kinsmen Club and Kinette Club of Innisfail have been fundraising. It's anticipated the clubs will apply for provincial grant help.
With council's decision last February to review site options it was also decided to extend the timeline to begin and complete construction on the project for at least one year. Since then, town officials have also been consulting with B.C.-based New Line Skateparks on the project, and options to move forward.
In the meantime, local horseshoers agreed they were willing to relocate, if it was in the best interest of the community to do so, and if the town would agree to construct a clubhouse, which horseshoers have never had during their 33 years at their current location.
With the town now firmly moving ahead with its chosen site, Myrna Kissick, president of the horseshoe club, said it was important for members to meet with administration to "figure out what is going on." In the meantime, the club has already checked out future site locations, notably one near its current site. Kissick said there is a spot next to a ballpark behind the Innisfail Aquatic Centre that could be the right fit.
"It has some trees there and is partially fenced," said Kissick, adding she's had brief discussions with the baseball community about the future possibility of sharing a clubhouse if the town can be convinced to build one. "I suggested to them (baseball community) we could put a big enough clubhouse that we could all use, and they thought that was a good idea. It would serve two groups, which would make sense."
Mayor Jim Romane said the decisions made by council on June 25 demonstrated the town's commitment to the project, which New Line Skateparks needed to plan and move forward with the project.
"Everything is going quite well," added the mayor. "But we had to make a commitment. It was a case of the installer (New Line Skateparks) had to know."
Romane said there were a number of factors with the chosen site that persuaded council and senior town officials that the 42nd Street and 51st Avenue location is still the best site for a state-of-the-art skatepark.
"It was the recommended location, it is highly visible, and very open for protective services to keep their eyes on things," said Romane. "I think we have found an alternative location for the horseshoe club. We haven't finalized that yet but it is with their (horseshoers') recommendation and I think it will be a good one.
Romane also said the final price of the project could be a "little bit more" than the last projected total cost.
"But we do want to do the full operation, the full real-deal one that was planned, not staged in," said Romane, adding he still wants to see construction begin and completed in 2019. "It will be the completed project."
