The St. Paul BMX and Skatepark Initiative took another leap forward on Jan. 28 with a general information meeting that was held at the CPAC Conference Centre. Skateboard and biking enthusiasts mixed with parents, toddlers, and various other community members who gathered tightly into the room, with extra chairs being brought in to accommodate the overflow of supporters.
Dan Reid, one of the prominent figures in the movement, first addressed the crowd and offered a general welcome.
“The intent tonight is just to fill everybody in on how the process works. What we’re hoping to gain from this meeting is just a broader knowledge, and to have more people out there pushing for this initiative,” he said. “If all goes well, this facility will give St. Paul a pretty good facelift, and should last for years and years.”
The majority of the meeting was conducted by Trevor Morgan, vice president of New Line Skateparks, a company based mainly out of Calgary that has constructed some of the highest-quality parks across North America.
Morgan went on to lead an upbeat, interactive presentation that outlined the history of the sport as well as the evolution of the skatepark. He painted the picture of a dynamic facility that is meant to serve not only skaters and bikers but also the entire community as a whole, evidenced by photos and descriptions of some previous New Line creations.
“At the end of the day, we want it to be a successful skatepark, but to also be a great public space for the entire community,” he said.
Many of the company’s previous projects have incorporated green space and “ride-able art” into the design, combining these features to create a pleasant atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. One of their crowning achievements is the Plaza at the Forks skatepark in Winnipeg.
“On any given day, you might see 200 or 300 people skateboarding, but you’ll see another 100 people who have nothing to do with skateboarding who are just appreciating the space and wanting to be there,” he said of the Plaza at the Forks, the projected photo on the wall behind him showing exactly that. “Instead of being intimidated by youth and skateboarding, they’re celebrating youth and skateboarding. That’s what we want to do in St. Paul, that’s the definition of a modern skatepark. It’s an amazing place to skate and to bike, but it’s also just an amazing place to be.”
Another goal of the meeting was to gather information from the community as to what they want their park to look like. Each New Line product is a unique endeavor that meets the area’s specific needs. A back-and-forth ensued, with members of the audience speaking out as to what they hoped to see within the park. One quality, above all, seemed to stand out.
“For the whole park in general, I think we should all agree that we want a park that’s going to cater to beginners, all the way through to the very advanced-level skater, and we can do that,” Morgan said.
While no location has officially been chosen in St. Paul for the potential park, those involved with the initiative are hoping that Lagasse Park may one day be home to the new facility.
Much work still needs to be done. While the community continues to fundraise, those at New Line will go back to their offices with the feedback they received and begin to work on a potential design. The plan is for a New Line representative to return to town in eight to 10 weeks with some preliminary drawings. At that time the group will be closer to nailing down the specific costs of the project.
The ultimate goal is that the park will provide local youth with an alternative form of healthy, positive activity.
“There are very few barriers to participation,” Morgan said of skateboarding and biking. “You don’t need to get a coach, join a team, get a uniform, or pay a user fee. You get your device, and you’re literally rolling.”
