Users of the soon-to-be-demolished skatepark in Langford have been granted a reprieve, but time is running out on finding a new home for it.

Thrifty Foods owner SobeyB次元官网网址檚, which bought the Belmont secondary lands from the Sooke School District and is scheduled to begin development of the area once the high school shifts from Jacklin Road to its new home at Glen Lake, recently gave another extension on the lease of the park. It can now be used by the community until Oct. 1.

B次元官网网址淭hat aligns with when Belmont is being demolished,B次元官网网址� said Sandy Clarke, manager of recreation for West Shore Parks and Recreation, which has been helping to find a new home for a regional skatepark. B次元官网网址淪o it seemed reasonable that they would look at doing both of them at the same time.B次元官网网址�

The recreation organization is playing a support and encouragement role, trying to gather people together to establish if there is enough interest and need on the West Shore to warrant building a new skatepark elsewhere after the current one is torn out.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been meeting with various stakeholders with the hopes that the community will mobilize and become organized and demonstrate that need and capacity,B次元官网网址� said Bobbi Neal, community development co-ordinator with Parks and Rec.

Last Saturday, a meeting was held with many of those people to discuss the projectB次元官网网址檚 future and share the news about the lease extension.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e very much in a situation where we need to find a location and fundraising needs to happen so it can move forward,B次元官网网址� Neal said. B次元官网网址淥ur role is to help support that community initiative and weB次元官网网址檙e willing to do so in providing meeting spaces or holding the accounts for any donations or fundraised money and support that community committee,B次元官网网址� she said. There has certainly been a demonstrated want and need for a facility, she said, but now that want and need must be focused towards the end goal, as time is running out.

Clarke said itB次元官网网址檚 almost as though thereB次元官网网址檚 a lack of urgency from stakeholders because thereB次元官网网址檚 still a facility to use.

B次元官网网址淚 think the reality is that people kind of forget (that itB次元官网网址檚 being demolished) because itB次元官网网址檚 still there, but weB次元官网网址檙e finding that people are starting to recognize and understand the timeline,B次元官网网址� she said. There will soon be a sign going up at the park itself that will inform users of its demise, which she hopes will spur some more action.

What is needed, Clarke said, is the formation of a group or society of some kind that will take the reins of the project and help it move forward with some momentum.

SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 meeting was larger than previous ones, she noted. B次元官网网址淎nd there was a desire to formalize themselves and start working towards approaching municipalities, the school district and other community organizations for land and resources.B次元官网网址�

To get involved email Neal at bneal@westshorerecreation.ca.

mdavies@goldstream

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