It looks like Penticton Skate Park on Riverside Drive is going to get lights after all, with staff recommending they use part of the $7.1 million Growing Communities Fund to pay for them.
The recommendation will come to city council at their meeting on Tuesday, May 16.
But staff say the cost to install lights at the park will be an astronomical $350,000. In the city council agenda, staff don’t indicate why the cost would be so high. Other skate parks around B.C. appear to have an estimated cost of installation to be around $20,000.
Over at Oliver’s Small Wheels skatepark and dog park, the town and community based initiative installed lights at both parks for a price tag of over $5,000 in 2021. The installation was done in kind by Dean Malmberg of Argon Electrical and Solar Services and much of the financing was done by the Kiwanis Club of Oliver.
In 2013, the Squamish skate park was lit up for a cost of $20,000.
READ MORE: Community lights up Oliver skatepark, calling it a ‘game changer’ for youth
Penticton Roller Skate collected signatures in support of lighting up the skate park at their latest roller skating night at the Curling Rink on Saturday, May 13.
The Riverside skate park is the third largest skate parks in B.C. and is very popular for skateboarders, scooters and BMX bikes.
Councillors Ryan Graham and Isaac Gilbert made the notice of motion to fund lights but council sent their idea back to staff to see how much it would cost.
READ MORE: Skate park lights delayed for cost estimates
Since then there has been a huge outpouring of support for lights at the busy park.
Penticton is on the receiving end of $7.1 million from the provincial government and staff through council have no indicated how they think it should be spent on infrastructre projects already in the works and some to come.
Unfunded community projects, as identified by council include:
• Downtown, Okanagan and Skaha Lake decorative seasonal lighting displays
• Riverside Skate Park and Basketball Court Lighting
• Urban Forestry Master Plan projects
• Kiwanis Pier replacement and park upgrades
READ MORE: Penticton council to review where to spend $7M from B.C’s Growing Communities Grant