Whitehorse residents given the chance to envision new skate park for city

Whitehorse residents got the chance this week to envision what they want to see in a new skate park for the city.

About 25 people gathered at F.H. Collins Secondary School for a meeting on the topic Monday night. 

"It feels like we're moving now," said Shawn Pierce, vice-president of the Skate for Life Alliance, who says his organization has been pushing for a new park for about five years.

Pierce said people at the meeting were given a copy of the footprint of the current skateboard park in the Riverdale neighbourhood and then asked to add features they'd like to see in its replacement.

"Snake runs and bowls, a little street and plaza" seemed to be popular, said Pierce.

He said the turnout was a good mix of skaters, the public and government. Stantec Architecture Ltd. is working on the design of the new park.

The project manager is Kanten Russell, a former professional skateboarder from San Diego who said he has worked on a couple of hundred of projects like this. 

"Our measure of success isn't what we think looks cool, it's ... can you really drive by there on any day and see people using it, and being happy about it," he said.

Russell said most users just want a safe place to go where they won't be harassed. Local skateboarders have described the current skate park as "not a pleasant place" and city officials have said it's not safe.

Looking for a Yukon feel

Russell said he wants to create a park that looks like it belongs in Yukon.

"That was something that was discussed, some of the colours and themes and talking about integrating some of the First Nation into it," he said.

"That will just make it very unique to Whitehorse, that's going to feel like it should be there and it's part of the Yukon territory kind of aesthetic."

Michael Dartnell at Stantec's Whitehorse office said some design options for the park should be completed sometime this fall.

With files from Tara McCarthy and Jackie McKay