A packed house at the Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co. saw Mike Quesnel of the Skateboarders Mason Association (SMA) skate his way through concerns from residents about a recently constructed skatebowl in their neighbourhood. But it remains to be seen if the structure will be completed.
At a public information meeting about the controversial project last Wednesday (Feb. 12), Quesnel began by expressing his regrets about the ad hoc nature of the way the skatebowl came together.
I'd like to firstly apologize to the neighbours for jumping the gun, but our thinking is this is a good project for Squamish, he said. Our dream as a group has always been to be able to skate under a roof to stay out of the rain and this is a smaller project that will not become a big gathering point.
He said the bowl is in an area zoned to allow park use and that no funding will be required. He received donations of concrete and said some of the world's best skatepark designers have helped make the bowl a reality.
The bowl, located under the west end of the bridge to Quest University at the top of The Boulevard, is 990 square feet and will only allow one skater at a time because of the design. He said it can be used for all levels of skaters and has been built to meet all safety standards.
But those who live near the site were disappointed by the way in which Quesnel and his friends created the project. One area resident asked why they should trust Quesnel and his group after they put the project together before seeking public input.
Quesnel said he understands the neighbours' concerns but pointed out that no one complained about the noise of the construction and that noise issues will not be a problem in the future.
We started putting this together in mid-October and had full generators and construction going and nobody heard it, he said, adding that the bowl will only be used in daytime hours and the tree buffer zones help muffle much of the noise. I can't see noise being a concern. It's not like it's going to be a raging party out there. We don't want it to be a party spot. We're a group of committed people. It's not there to be a party spot.
Bill McNeney, who lives in the area, said the existing skatepark near Howe Sound Secondary School was built in 2005 and wondered why a roof couldn't be put on that facility. Quesnel said a roof would be costly and would ruin the experience at that skatepark.
There was considerable support for the project, with representatives from Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the Squamish Youth Resource Centre and local skateboarders voicing their backing.
Quesnel and other SMA members said there would be no cost to the community, but one neighbour pointed out that District of Squamish employees would still have to make occasional trips to the project and deal with garbage. Another neighbour expressed his concern about the increased traffic in the area and parking issues, but Quesnel said only a small group of skaters can use the bowl at a time. He and other SMA members also promised to personally ensure that garbage is collected. Squamish resident Chris Pettingill countered the parking discussion by pointing out that hundreds of mountain bikers descend near that area to hit the trails and cause few problems.The issue of teens partying and gathering in the area was also brought up. SMA members claimed having the bowl will bring about more of a positive vibe to the area and potentially decrease some of the partying for which the area is known.
Another neighbour expressed his concern about the increased traffic in the area and parking issues, but Quesnel said only a small group of skaters can use the bowl at a time. He and other SMA members also promised to personally ensure that garbage is collected. Squamish resident Chris Pettingill countered the parking discussion by pointing out that hundreds of mountain bikers descend near that area to hit the trails and cause few problems.
The issue of teens partying and gathering in the area was also brought up. SMA members claimed having the bowl will bring about more of a positive vibe to the area and potentially decrease some of the partying for which the area is known.
Coun. Bryan Raiser and Mayor Rob Kirkham were also in attendance, taking in all the feedback. They said the project has a two-week period in which everyone is encouraged to submit feedback to the District of Squamish.
Quesnel said he hopes to establish a licence agreement between the SMA and the DOS and if the SMA does not live up to all of the agreed requirements, skatebowl creators would understand that the project could be terminated.
For details on how to submit feedback to the DOS on the project, visit www.squamish.ca/yourgovernment/news/skateboard-bowl-public-information-meeting.
