Pass skatepark design progressing to final stages

There was a recent presentation given to Crowsnest Pass residents outlining the progress and design direction for the upcoming skatepark project on November 2. This is the second workshop for the Crowsnest Pass Skatepark, which is moving forward with participation from the Southwest Alberta Skateboard Society and the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass. 

The presenter, Everett Tetz, director of community outreach and park programming at New Line Skateparks, started by introducing themselves and emphasizing the importance of community involvement in the project.

“The way that this group is moving forward, it’s pretty focused feedback that we’re going to be receiving tonight. I’m going to go through how we got to this point and show a little bit of the design direction that came out of that initial session and then get some feedback from you all based on what you want to see in terms of refinement,” explained Tetz.

Both the Southwest Alberta Skateboard Society and the municipality recognized the value of building a skatepark as an accessible and inclusive recreational facility for the community. 

“What I love about skateparks is it’s an accessible form of recreation. You don’t need to be rich to do it. There’s not a big startup cost. It’s available to everybody,” said Tetz.

The park is expected to attract visitors as part of a network of skate parks in the region.

“I think this is really actually going to pull in a lot of people off the highway as they come through the community and make this a community to stop in,” added Tetz.

The project has progressed through various stages, including geotechnical investigations and surveys after prior workshops. Through these surveys, they found a preference for a balanced design that caters to different styles of skateboarding, such as street, plaza, and bowl skating. They aimed to provide a range of terrain elements to accommodate various skill levels.

“This is going to be 30-to-40-year amenity for your community. It’s important that we take our time in these stages and get it right,” said Tetz.

He discussed three areas within the park that needed specific feedback: Options for a wedge-to-click flat box combo or a wedge-to-wedge only feature. Options for a transition to a spine or a bank-to-ledge. Options for the shape of the bowl, one with an organic, amoeba-like shape, and the other with a squared-off end.

The presentation outlined site constraints, including drainage issues, existing trees to be protected, and some rubble from potential historic structures. These constraints influenced the design by keeping most elements above ground.

“Managing this water is a huge consideration around this part of development, and then also with the geotechnical studies that we got back, there is some rubble under the site, potentially some old buildings, so that really had a huge implication on what we could do with terrain and essentially the way that translated was, any terrain elements we have to keep above grade so we’re not going to be digging sub grade,” explained Tetz.

He emphasized the importance of community involvement in maintaining and ensuring the success of the skatepark. Southwest Alberta Skateboard Society will be responsible for mentorship and park upkeep.

The presentation shared a timeline for the next steps, including the consolidation of feedback, design refinements, and a presentation to the council. Tetz mentioned they would attend an upcoming council meeting where cost estimates and project progress would be discussed.

The project is aiming to create a recreational space that caters to a wide range of skateboarding styles and skill levels, while considering site constraints and encouraging community involvement. Residents were encouraged to provide feedback through paper forms and an online survey at the workshop. The online survey is open until November 17.

The survey is available at: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOR7NjjRJQtZDB2B6kKidw0jcM-5I2JaCioEMTLFSFlZt8_g/viewform?pli=1.