The lights are on, wheels are rolling and Squamish can expect more money to come into town, says a local skateboarder.
With the help of multiple businesses - Alta Lake Electric, B.C. Hydro, Arctic Power - and a $5,500 grant from the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, Squamish's skateboard park will light up at night.
"This opens up the winter," skateboard shop owner Mike Quesnel said. "If it is not raining, we can hit it."
Word of the $20,000 project's completion has spread throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor, Quesnel said. Squamish's park has a reputation for being one of the best places to ride in the Lower Mainland and corridor. On a summer's day, one can except between 20 to 50 people at the bowl adjacent to the Squamish Youth Centre, Quesnel said. The latest development will draw more people to town, he told The Chief.
Four light poles were installed, with eight lights shining onto the park.
"It's super bright," Quesnel said.
He's working with Squamish-based lighting control company Echo Flex to develop a system in which the lights are controlled by park users. The lights will be set on a 10 p.m. curfew, at which point they will no longer turn on.
The District of Squamish is clearing trees around the skate park, opening up the area, Quesnel said. The municipality will maintain the area and are covering the power bill.
"It's getting to look more friendly," he said of the look of the facility.
