Plans to move Sunset Beach rink spark concerns from inline skaters in Vancouver's West End

Bronwyn Absalom has been sober for a year and a half. She credits roller skating and those who use the outdoor roller hockey rink at Vancouver's Sunset Beach Park with helping save her life. 

"I struggle with mental health and addiction issues, and I found that I needed something with community and something that got my body moving to get me to a place where I felt proud enough of myself and had self-esteem to stay sober."

Absalom is among a group of inline skaters who are concerned the city's proposed plans to redevelop the West End waterfront, including Sunset Beach Park, may impact the liveliness and popularity of the rink.

"It's such an amazing community and I just don't want anything to harm that," she said. 

In a statement to CBC News, the Vancouver Park Board says the city plans to redesign waterfront areas to make them more resilient to rising sea levels and other climate change challenges. The Imagine West End Waterfront redevelopment project spans over 38 hectares, including English Bay Beach, Sunset Beach Park, Morton Park, Alexandra Park, and Beach Avenue. 

The city has released three draft concept ideas, titled Weave, Carve, and Seed. While there are clear differences and tradeoffs between the designs, all of them have a new roller rink located right beside or under the Burrard Street Bridge. 

Roller skater Ciara Allen worries about safety around the proposed location.

"Around the Burrard Bridge can feel a little bit sketchy at night, if I'm honest, " Allen said. "So just having visibility and for that to be made a safe zone would be very important as well." 

Noise concerns

Lorne Milne, an inline skate instructor who played a part in designing the current rink two decades ago, says the proposed move comes with problems. 

"First of all the land over there is uneven, it's a bank. So that will make it very difficult to build an appropriate facility there," said Milne.

"I'm also very aware of sound travel ...The problem if you go under Burrard Street Bridge, it's literally up against a residence. The echo factor is huge." 

Shauna Griffiths of Sunset 54, which hosts weekly roller disco events at the rink, said music is an integral part of skating culture in the West End.

"Why change a good thing?" Griffiths said. "The rink is here, people love it. It's at the beach."

Milne says the current rink was designed so noise is funnelled toward the water and away from residences. He believes improvements can be made to the existing rink to help mitigate the impacts of future extreme weather events.

"If they are really concerned about it over time, they could bring in sand and gravel," he said. "They could raise the height of it right here."

In a statement, the park board says the draft designs could change based on public feedback, and that any changes aren't set in stone. 

"Certain elements shown in the design approaches may appear in different locations in the final plan, based on the feedback we receive," said the statement.

A draft concept plan is set to be released in the fall.