Edgemont skatepark plan sparks rebellion against community association

Some residents inthe community of Edgemonthave startedacampaign to change the community association in protest overaplanned skateboard park in the neighbourhood.

• Edgemont skatepark plan put on hold amid community opposition

The groupcirculated a flyer to local residents on Thursday. It asks people to buy a membership, attend the AGM on April 29 and elect newdirectors to the board oftheEdgemontcommunity association.

Barry Slusarchuk says he is part of thegroup of concerned citizensthat has been meeting for the past fourmonths to research the issue of skate parks.

He says the community association failed to consult people living close to thesitebefore it submitted the application to the city.He says the site does not meet the guidelines for skateboard parks as set out by the the Tony Hawk foundation and www.skatepark.org.

The Edgemont skate park has already been put on hold for three to nine months, due to concerns expressed about noise and safety at the proposed site in John Laurie Park.

Slusarchuk saidhis group of 20 people isnot opposed to a skateboard park in the community,just the current site.

"We are completely in favour of skateboard parks, it's a matter of location, location, location."

He also denies his group istargeting sitting members of the board, saying there are vacancies and they hope to play a "constructive role."However, the flyer does point out that some board members have served more than five years and reads "it's time for a change."

Consultation concerns

Elspeth Kirk, communications director for the Edgemont community association, denies there was a lack of consultationabout the skateboard park.

"We had many articles in our newspaper andwe have hadat least two public forums," she said."It wasn't our fault they didn't take note of that."

She says the the board welcomes theinvolvement of all community members in the association and on the board.

"That's what democracy's all about, isn't it?" she said."That's one way to get people involved in the community."

However, Kirk warns thatthe community associationcannot focusexclusively on the singleissue of the skateboard park.

"We have all sorts of projects and issues that we hope don't fall by the wayside because of this one focus."

Suburban skateboard parks needed, says city

Three other skateboard facilities that wereannouncedby the city last yearare going ahead. They will be built in the communities of Chinook Park/Kelvin Grove/Eagle Ridge (CKE), Huntington HillsandSouthwood.

The city plans tobuild five other skate parks in the future as part of itsSkateboard Amenities Strategy.

Calgary already has one ofthe largest free outdoor skate parks in North America the 75,000 square-feetShaw Millennium Skate Park at the western edge of downtown.

"We have to be able to get these facilities out into the communities that aren't downtown," said Greg Dycke, superintendent of sport development with the city's recreation department.

"Kids are going to skateboard, regardless. So why not provide those facilities for them so they can skateboard in a proper, safe and family friendly environment."

About 35,000 people skateboard at least once a year in Calgary, according to city officials.

• Read the flyer circulated in Edgemont below