Innisfail's horseshoe community is throwing cold water on the chosen location of the new skatepark.
Members of the Innisfail and District Horseshoe Club emphasized they are in full support of building a new skatepark to replace the badly worn antiquated facility on 50 Street, but add they strongly sense doom if a modern skatepark is built beside their 32-year-old site at the intersection of 42 Street and 51 Avenue.
The site beside the horseshoe facility and near the Innisfail Aquatic Centre was formally chosen by council at its regular meeting on Aug. 22, the same night administration released two concept designs that will be presented to the public for discussion at an open house on Sept. 15.
“I am not happy. How can we be happy when our horseshoe (site) is threatened? We can't hold a tournament if that thing is there. There is no room for us,” said horseshoe legend Myrna Kissick, who is president of the 40-member local club. “If we did manage to get one nobody would come. Horseshoe is a very exacting sport, a very focused sport. Any movement, any noise takes it away from the people, and they can't pitch right and they would not come to our tournament if that thing is there.”
Kissick and three other members and supporters met with Mayor Brian Spiller on Sept. 1 and left pleased they had an attentive audience. They will have a chance to present their case to the rest of council on Sept. 19 but are still insistent the entire community should have been consulted on the location of the new skatepark, which they feel should be constructed at the current 50 Street site.
“The heart of it is that the town council did not connect with the community members. They did all this planning and location and they did not ask or give an opportunity to get the opinions of our community, of where it should be,” said Ley-Anne Mountain, who has family members in the horseshoe club. “It should include the youth themselves, and not just when they are designing it and they have this beautiful picture of a skatepark in front of these kids.
“They need to be involved, and say, ‘hey, what do you think?'” added Mountain, who is personally strongly in favour of a new facility at the old 50 Street site. “They don't use it down there because it is a horrible excuse for a skatepark right now. We need a skatepark very, very badly but there is so much that needs to be heard from the community.”
Spiller said the horseshoe group presented “legitimate” concerns at the Sept. 1 meeting but noted the club facility will not be losing any space, and that the organization only hosts one tournament a year. The mayor added the town has had ongoing discussions with the skateboarder community, but not with other groups who might have concerns.
“There is no group that is using that particular area. That is an open park area,” said Spiller.
However, following the Aug. 22 council meeting, Helen Dietz, the town's chief administrative officer, said the town was sending written notice to groups that may be impacted by the chosen location, including Chinook's Edge School Division, the Innisfail and District Historical Village and the horseshoe club. She said letters would also go out to owners of nearby residential properties, who will also be asked for their input.
Spiller said the new skatepark project is still in the planning stage and that no construction timetable has even been considered.
“I would say the location isn't set in stone. If they have concerns and council is going to change its mind on it they should get in (Sept. 19 meeting) earlier instead of later,” said Spiller, who has been a consistent strong advocate for the skatepark project. “I don't think the skateboarding community is a bad group to have beside you. They are a bunch of young kids out skateboarding. We will listen to their concerns and take it under advisement. We do have time to change.”
In the meantime, the Sept. 19 meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. at town hall. Spiller said it is not a meeting for the public but the media is welcome to attend.
“It is just to summarize our side, what our words are for the location changes that need to be made,” said Mountain.
Ley-Anne Mountain, horseshoe club supporter
"The heart of it is that the town council did not connect with the community members. They did all this planning and location and they did not ask or give an opportunity to get the opinions of our community, of where it should be."
