EtobiGO.ca - the portal for all things Etobicoke! Become a journalist, write restaurant reviews, and more!

Last nights meeting regarding the much talked about Skate park in South Etobicoke went really well. Many skateboarders and residence of the community were present.

The Community Working Group has been working very hard since the last meeting and has given a recommendation to Councillor Mark Grimes that the skate park could ideally be located at the 8th Street Parkette, which is located on the corner of 8th street and Birmingham.

Some of the benefits of using this location are as follows.

• It has good lighting.

• The area is frequented by the community as it has green space and a basketball court.

• It is close to Islington Avenue making it very accessible.

• There is a bus stop right by the Park.

• Parking spaces are available
  

• Stores are nearby for refreshments, local stores will benefit from the extra business.

The meeting did not touch on the subject of park design other than the fact that it's design will facilitate the feeling of the local residences. For example positioning of trees landscaped to help block any noise that would be heard from the park, also strategic positioning of the lights for security all pointing away from any residences.

The skate park will have a minimum of 10,000 net square feet, so not all of the parkette will be taken up by the skate park.

A few that live in the Artist Co-op building on the South side of Birmingham had a few concerns that seemed to be put to rest.

As it stands the budget for design and build of the park is $500,000 but we as a community can build on that number with fund raisers and contributions. If you have any ideas, voice them on this page.

Now it is up to you to share your opinion of the Skate Board Park. Please add your thoughts to this article regarding the project. All suggestions are taken very seriously.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (5)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by Jay Dizzle, March 04, 2009

I'm up for a good skate spot in our area. How much of the parkette is going to be used. I hope the skate park will be big enough for a bowl and some transitions.

• 
• +1
• 
• 

...
written by Joe Dunn, March 18, 2009

We need a bowl, the East End of Toronto down at the Beaches isn't getting the bowl built now which sucks. So we should get one built. One reason that so many people ride street is because bowl or ramp parks are so few and far between. If there were more bowl and ramp parks available skaters would be swayed to skating these more rather than skating the streets. I love bowls, and we need more of them.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

...
written by Melissa Against the Skatepark, April 07, 2009

This is a very bad idea. I'm sorry but you have not appropriately consulted the families living in the co-ops and as a Mother of very young children living directly adjacent to this proposed skate board park I am furious. First, it is a well known fact that skateboard parks attract hundreds of youth to them and while that is all well and good for them it is not well and good for people who cannot sit on their steps without the rukus of boisterous teenagers. Second, there is already an issue with unruly teenagers in the neighborhood resulting in increased crime activity and while I am not accusing the "skateboard" crowd as being criminal I am simply suggesting that the idea of increasing the population of teenagers hanging out in a family community is a bad bad idea. Third, my children play at this park and I have a huge problem with the existing park being removed and replaced with a great big slab of concrete, more lighting, and did I mention the increased traffic in the area? I feel strongly that the people of this neighborhood are not being consulted because they are considered low income and I have a really huge huge problem with this.

Melissa

• 
• -1
• 
• 

...
written by Stef, April 29, 2009

It's gonna be a tiny little skate park. For chodes. Why even bother? Better to get a big area than this little piece of land. Spend the $ on keeping swimming pools open you guys!

Also the next door neighbour, the Royal Canadian Legion, wasn't even consulted. They are like 5 feet away.

• 
• -2
• 
• 

...
written by scott, December 13, 2009

you guys are loose there should so be a skatepark. it is not fair for us to have to travel more then an hour by subway to skateboard. were now criminals or unruly teens like youre saying in your comment whoever you are melissa. would you rather have us at a park where were supposed to be or at office buildings or appartment buildings getting kicked out cause we cant skate there. 5 years ago there was one promised to be put up and nothing happened so thanks city.

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Name

Email

Website

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment