Skate park plans progress

Plans for a skate park may get the go-ahead as early as this week if council and the skate park committee can reach an agreement on funding and user fees, the committee of the whole decided at last night’s meeting.
As it stands, the proposed skate park will infringe on parking spaces at the Memorial Sports Centre, where the park is slated to be built.
The town estimates that it will cost $35,000 to relocate those lost spaces to the north side of the sports centre.
Council voted last night that this cost, in addition to the estimated $235,000 to build the skate park, would be covered by the committee through fundraising.
Council also agreed that the $900 cost to construct a driveway to access the new parking spaces would be paid for by the town.
Council was split regarding user fees for the skate park. While the skate park committee is opposed to charging for use of the park, some members of council want the agreement to leave room for the option of user fees in the future, for possible maintenance and supervisory costs.
“We may never use it, but I think we need to retain the option of user fees,” Coun. Roy Avis said to the committee of the whole last night.
“The municipality has to have the option of charging admission if we feel it’s necessary,” echoed Coun. Deane Cunningham.
Others argued that charging user fees would simply encourage kids to skate elsewhere.
“I think charging is a waste of time,” Coun. Struchan Gilson said.
“We simply want our kids to be able to do something for free,” Steve Maki, chair of the skate park committee, remarked.
Supervision of the park was another contentious issue.
“Basically, it’s another swimming pool,” Coun. Cunningham said. “It’s got to be a controlled facility.”^Maki said that most parks in North America were unsupervised, but posted signs that read “Use at your own risk,” and signs that urge the use of safety equipment.
While the skate park committee asked council to approve the project without a final written agreement, councilors said that an agreement must be in place before construction could proceed.
“We’re running out of time,” Maki said. “At some point, you have to take a leap of faith.”^Council also approved the large, molded concrete fixture recommended by the skate park committee, as opposed to asphalt or moveable fixtures previously considered.
“Asphalt will break down. It’s rougher, it’s hotter, and when it does get hot, it’s sticky,” Maki argued.
CAO Bill Naturkach agreed to discuss these issues with the skate park committee this week, and to ask for a special meeting of council to approve the plan once an agreement is in place.
In other news, council:
•referred Melvin Haukaas’ proposal for a “Ghost Centre” and signage along the La Verendrye Parkway to the Traffic Safety Committee for recommendation;
•approved the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board 2003 Cost Apportionment and referred it to the treasurer for payment;
•denied as contrary to policy Ray Calder Jr.’s request for reimbursement of landfill tipping fee costs;
•referred Bruce Caldwell’s request for easement for constructing a bridge to access a portion of his property to the Operations and Facilities Executive Committee with input from the Planning and Development Executive Committee;
•referred the Fort Frances sanitary sewer hydraulic flow modeling and analysis final report from R.J.
Burnside and Associates Ltd. to the Operations and Facilities Division to pursue as necessary and as appropriate, considering priorities and financial resources; and
•referred a request from Industry Canada regarding consultations pertaining to the siting of antenna towers to the Planning and Development Executive Committee.