Penhold's skatepark is one step closer to becoming a reality. Potential skatepark users and the Penhold Skatepark Committee, led by April Jones, held a meeting late last month to discuss the upcoming new facility at the Penhold Regional Multiplex.
Penhold's skatepark is one step closer to becoming a reality.
Potential skatepark users and the Penhold Skatepark Committee, led by April Jones, held a meeting late last month to discuss the upcoming new facility at the Penhold Regional Multiplex.
Trevor Morgan, vice-president of New Line Skateparks, spoke to a crowd of enthusiastic boarders on the importance of concept design for the new skatepark, which is to be located south of the multiplex and Penhold Crossing School on 1.2 acres of land.
"The Penhold group is now at the concept/design phase," said Morgan. "We were retained officially by the Penhold Skatepark Committee over a month ago and I have unofficially been talking to them for over a year."
Morgan, who has been skateboarding since he was eight years old, stated the facility should be designed to appeal to all levels of skateboarders, noting that advanced users will interact with design elements differently than novice boarders.
New Line Skateparks Inc. has been designing skateparks across Alberta and worldwide for more than a decade with 200 communities boasting company designs and builds.
"We should have the final design for the park done by the end of this year," said Morgan. "Depending on fundraising, we may be able to go to construction next year but every community is different."
The recent tragic death of Penhold longboarder Trystan Sorensen put special emphasis on the workshop for Morgan.
"Hopefully once we build this facility for Penhold, we will be able to redirect some of the kids who are using highways to board on a safer alternative," said Morgan.
Julie Dallaire, manager of community services for the Town of Penhold, noted the first design workshop was held May 21.
"Sometime in the week of June 18 to 21 we will be announcing the final design concept," added Dallaire. "After that, the real work of fundraising begins."
In mid-April, New Line Skateparks Inc. was approved by Penhold council and the committee as the approved designer for the facility.
