Birch Hills Skateboard Park Looking for Community Support

Project Summary
Because we live in a small community where recreation opportunities are somewhat limited, this would be a multi-functional Skatepark . The proposed park would be approx 3000 sq ft and will be built so it can double as a basketball court and street hockey area if a group wanted to host such an activity, making this a benefit to a wider range of people in our communities. It will serve as a place which will encourage intergenerational activities – we have a small number of adults who are avid skateboarders and have expressed an interest and excitement in being able to teach their children on a safe facility, thus providing an ongoing benefit for future generations.

We have several smaller communities in close proximity with no such recreation facilities available to them who would also be encouraged to utilize this facility. Muskoday First Nation is also involved in our community. Band Council has recently purchased 5 properties in Birch Hills for band members with families who choose to live in the community. This facility will not only add to their options for recreation but to those Metis and aboriginal families already committed to this project. This Skatepark will not only benefit those using the park but also the community as a whole as this will give our skateboarders a safe facility rather than on our streets, private property and business property.

Project Goals and Objectives
Besides providing our community with a safe recreational facility, it is a beginning of having a place in our community for our kids, teenagers and adults to work together toward a common end and build healthy, positive relationships.

Project Activities
One of the goals of this project was for adults and youth to work side by side in the Fundraising for this project.

Our initial Budget and goal for this Skatepark was $75,000 for a very basic flat slab of concrete that
would host removable ramps and rails. However, after careful consideration and consultation with a number of communities and professionals in the Skateboard communities, it was strongly recommended to stay away from removable ramps and consider a Skatepark completely constructed of concrete. As a result, we have raised our Budget Goal to $115,000.

To date, we have received and raised the following funding totaling almost $60,000:
RCMP Foundation $ 2,000 Birch Hills Primary Health $ 1,500, RYSC Youth Centre $ 3,500 Cargill Grain $ 2,500, Community Initiatives Fund $35,829 BH Skateboard Club Fundraising $ 5,180
Advantage Credit Union $ 1,356 Birch Hills Rec Board $ 5,000.

In addition to the above, we will receive Gift-in-Kind donations of approx $10,000 which include all the
gravel needed for the project as well as some site prep, concrete, labor and equipment. More Gift-in-Kind Donations will be requested as plans continue to develop.

Project Participants
It is a youth led project – a busload of youth, parents and community members are traveled to Saskatoon last October to view and skate their 5 outdoor Community Skateparks and the final details of our park will be designed by the youth with adult assistance. Fundraising will be done by adults and youth working together and the youth will have a long term commitment to general upkeep, maintenance and future expansion ideas.

Youth will be encouraged to help set guidelines and follow the existing bylaws and safety guidelines as required by Town and Province. The result will be a facility conducive to the wants and needs of our
community, ensuring a long term commitment to maintaining and perhaps even expanding this project.

Community Support and Leadership
This project is seen as one of the main priorities by the Town of Birch Hills and the Recreation Board. It has gained the support of many local businesses and community members – the local Co-op Association assisted and partnered in a Spring Supper and Silent Auction with the youth, three local journeymen welders and three local carpenters are willing to donate their labor towards the construction and several adults are committed to working closely with the youth in all areas.

When construction time comes, a large number of community volunteers have already come forward to offer help.

Support from Propaganda Sports in Prince Albert has been offered in terms of planning, supporting fundraising and ongoing involvement in way of running future Skateboard camps and events in our community. Contact has been made with Saskatoon Community Skateparks, Shellbrook Skatepark and LaRonge Skatepark and a great amount of helpful information and encouragement has been received. We have recently been in contact with New Line Skateparks Inc., the number one designer and builders of Skateparks in Canada and they are ready and willing to come on board to assist us in designing and building a top notch Skatepark in our community within the parameters of our budget.

Funding Co-ordination and Sustainability
A Skateboard Committee consisting of youth, parents and community members is in place to co-ordinate fundraising in the community for this project and continue to fundraise for future repairs and maintenance.

The Birch Hills Recreation Board and Lakeland Sports, Culture and Recreation have been generous to support a Skateboard Camp in the past and funding from these groups would be requested in the future to continue to run camps and events. Our youth group is also committed to the ongoing development and support of this Skatepark.

Evaluation Plan
Although this will technically be an unsupervised Skatepark facility, supervision will be ongoing. We will ensure that proper signage is in place for safety reasons and an inspection schedule will be maintained for due diligence. The level of engagement of the youth and families in the community will be monitored by the Skateboard Committee and actively promoted.

Small Capital Project
We have been working with several local contractors as well as our Town Foreman to ensure compliance with building codes and zoning bylaws. Insurance is presently being analyzed by the Town. Sask Power and Sask Gas have already been contacted concerning the power line and underground gas line and we have confirmed that we are in compliance with their requirements. We have been in contact and received information from several communities who have already built community skateparks and have the support and guidance of Adam Balone as well as Paulson & Son Concrete for the safety standards, architectural and engineering. Three adult skateboarders in our community are also willing to assist in the designing to ensure this project is not only safe but user friendly for all age groups.

This project’s purpose is much more than providing a safe place for our community to skateboard and have opportunity for other recreation outside of organized sports – it will provide a much needed focus away from individualism and back to community pride.

With a 30 + year history in our community of “skateboarders” being the “black eye” of our youth, attitudes between them and the community must change. When the adults see the value in providing an opportunity for our youth to work toward something they can take pride in and call their own and the youth see the community as a whole supporting them in their interests, we can see nothing but positive change for everyone.

Why Do We Need a Skatepark?
There has been a group of people involved in skateboarding in our town for at least the past 30 years. There has never been a proper or safe place for Skateboarders to be and at times this issue has caused problems between boarders, bikers and adults. This past summer, Rob Boulding organized a Skateboard Camp where Adam Balone brought out his own equipment and blocked off the street in front of the Civic Center – about 20 people attended this camp from 7 years old to adult. A proper facility would enable us to hold more Skateboard Clinics with Adam willing to come out and work with the boarders. The present facility that the youth have set up is a small cement pad formerly used for grain cleaning on CN Railway property. Even though they keep “The Spot” clean, it is very unsafe. The youth are creative in their attempts to make do and build ramps and rails out of scrap materials but the safety is a very real concern for everybody in the community.

Where Would It Be Built?
A few years ago, Birch Hills Community Church purchased the property south of the Water Treatment Plant between the Trans Canada Gas shed and Ray Stangeland’s with the long range plans to not only have a church home there but also have a variety of recreational activities available there to the community. This Multi-functional Skatepark fits in well with this plan.

In working with Rob Boulding from the Birch Hills Recreation Board we felt that this location has many
advantages. It is close to the school and in walking distance for everyone. It is a fair distance away from any residences and is not connected to any road surfaces. It will be located at the front of the property which is highly visible and once again, away from residential and is large enough to accommodate future expansion. Because it will be on property owned by BHCC which is a non-profit charitable organization, the Youth Center will be able to oversee and work with the Skateboarders and bikers to maintain a safe, clean Skatepark and the Town is working on insurance coverage under the Town & Municipality.

In order to pursue this idea, Birch Hills Community Church Council obtained permission from the Town of Birch Hills to build a Skatepark on this property. Possible locations on Town property were researched but none were found to be suitable for the purpose of a Skatepark. It must be stressed that this will be a permanent Community Skatepark open and available to Birch Hills and surrounding communities to enjoy.

Recognition of Sponsorship for Skatepark
We are thankful to all donors and volunteers who are necessary to make this Skatepark a
reality, however, our major donors will be recognized in the following manner:
Bronze Sponsors – those donating $1,000 to $4,999
Sponsor name will appear permanently on the Donor Sign as a Bronze Sponsor. A 4’ x 8’
sign listing the major contributors will also travel throughout various communities with the
Fundraising Group to continue to garner support and recognize those who have made
donations of $1,000 or more. Between events, this sign will be displayed on the side of our
Youth Center building.
Silver Sponsors – those donating $5,000 to $9,999
Sponsor name will be recognized with ongoing newspaper and advertising throughout the
fundraising and building of this project and will appear permanently on the Donor Sign as a
Silver Sponsor. A writeup and picture would be sent to local papers in Prince Albert, Melfort
as well as paNOW. A 4’ x 8’ sign listing the major contributors will also travel throughout
various communities with the Fundraising Group to continue to garner support and recognize
those who have made donations of $1,000 or more. Between events, this sign will be
displayed on the side of our Youth Center building.
Gold Sponsors – those donating $10,000 to $19,999
Sponsor name will be recognized with ongoing newspaper and advertising throughout the
fundraising and building of this project and will appear permanently on the Donor Sign as a
Gold Sponsor. A writeup and picture would be sent to local papers in Prince Albert, Melfort
as well as paNOW. A 4’ x 8’ sign listing the major contributors will also travel throughout
various communities with the Fundraising Group to continue to garner support and recognize
those who have made donations of $1,000 or more. Between events, this sign will be
displayed on the side of our Youth Center building. Donor name and logo would appear on
signage for the directions to the park.
Platinum Sponsors – those donating $20,000 and over
Sponsor name will be recognized with ongoing newspaper and advertising throughout the
fundraising and building of this project and will be stamped in the concrete on one of the
Donor Walls. A writeup and picture would be sent to local papers in Prince Albert, Melfort
as well as paNOW. A n individual 4’ x 8’ sign listing the donor as a major contributor will
also travel throughout various communities.

by RYSC Youth Group And Birch Hills Skateboard Club

Birch Hills Skateboard Park Looking for Community Support

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