An online petition is urging the City of New Westminster to find a different location for the new skate park.
In November, New Westminster city council approved in-principle a recommendation to build a new skate park on the former Arenex site in Queen’s Park. The skate park must be relocated from its current home near Mercer Stadium to make way for construction of a new high school.
A Save Vagabond Players petition has been created on change.org, urging the city to find a different location for the skateboard park. Having been located in Queen’s Park since 1950 and part of New Westminster for more than 80 years, the petition by Vagabond Players states they were “shocked and disturbed” to learn the city was proposing to relocate the outdoor skate part to the site immediately adjacent to their home in the Bernie Legge Theatre.
“In short, relocating the skate park next to the theatre would result in the death of our long-standing theatre society,” states the petition.
According to the petition, Vagabond Players has evening performances at 8 p.m. and matinees at 2 p.m. The petition states that outside noise echoes and reverberates though the lobby and auditorium and pointed out that the theatre had “a still, quiet and peaceful atmosphere amid garden-like surroundings” when located next to the Arenex because it was an indoor facility.
“Vagabond Players would be unable to compete with the noise coming from an unsupervised outdoor facility,” states the petition. “It would ruin our performances.”
The theatre company also fears many of its patrons would be deterred from attending performances if a skate park was built next to the theatre.
“We have a loyal patron base made up of theatre lovers of all ages including a high number of senior citizens, some of whom use walkers or wheelchairs to get from their cars to their seats in our auditorium,” states the petition. “They do not want to have to contend with skaters speeding by as they arrive nor would they feel comfortable or safe leaving after dark, under such circumstances.”
As of Jan. 4, 345 people had signed the petition, which will be presented to city council.
In December, Queen’s Park Residents’ Association president Kathleen Langstroth told city council the association would like to see the new skate park built in a prominent location, rather than tucked away in the park. She suggested the corner of the Sixth Avenue and McBride Boulevard in Queen’s Park or next to the all-weather field by the Glenbrook fire hall as possible locations.
Langstroth said the trees around the Arenex site could be problematic as skateboarders need a clean surface for a ride.
Coun. Chuck Puchmayr said the debris from trees is something the city should consider, as is the need to select a location that considers Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
“Being tucked away, you sort of worry about the lack of a CPTED approach. I do like to see them more close to public roads so there is more eyes on the street watching. I think the one we have on Sixth Street, having it so close to a main traffic area in a park allows people to not get too carried away in there,” he said. “I also worry about the younger kids who want to use it. If it starts to become a bit of a hangout for older kids because there isn’t that visual concerns to them, it might create an issue with younger kids being able to use it.”
Dean Gibson, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said the city has endorsed the former Arenex location in-principle and is beginning consultation on the project, with open houses set to take place in January.
