Skate park project lands Safeway’s support

The proposed skate park being spearheaded by the Kiwanis Club is about to get a big fundraising boost as local Canada Safeway employees have chosen to adopt the project as its charity for 2003.
Staff voted over the weekend to adopt the charity, choosing it from a total of 13 submitted by area organizations and service clubs.
“It’s definitely a good choice,” Safeway assistant manager Cory Delbridge said Monday morning, who added the voting was “very much in favour” of the skate park.
“With the Kiwanis Club behind the project, the support will be there, the volunteers will be there,” Delbridge added. “But I definitely want to thank all of the organizations who put their name in.”
The deadline for the public to offer suggestions for Safeway’s charity for 2003 was Nov. 29.
“I think it’s great,” said Steve Maki, who’s been spearheading the skate park project since its inception this fall. “It’s good to see the community buying into the skate park project.”
Maki also said he’s expecting to have no problems finding skateboarders and their parents to volunteer at fundraising events over the coming year.
The proposed 13,000 sq. ft. concrete park—which resembles a bowl-like, empty swimming pool—would be located at a site near the Memorial Sports Centre.
It would cost about $300,000, but Maki previously has said that if the skate park committee were to exceed that total, the extra funds would be used to make an even bigger, better facility.
  Delbridge had said the public can expect to see fundraising start very shortly, adding there’s a “distinct possibility” the store will start selling tickets in January for a raffle where the top prize will be $100 a week in groceries for a year.
The local store has a track record of raising more money for its selected charity with each passing year—and even a reputation as the top fundraiser among Safeway stores in western Canada.
Staff and volunteers raised $55,123.53 for the “Community Chest” this past year.