Boarders paradise finally opens in Ashbridges Bay
[attach]872[/attach]A new skateboard park at the corner of Coxwell Ave. and Lakeshore Bvld. East is getting rave reviews from boarders and residents alike.
Ashbridges Bay Skateboard Park has been four years in the making. Councillor Sandra Bussin spearheaded the campaign to fund the building of the park which she says was an uphill battle.
“It was very difficult to convince city hall to come to the drawing board,” says Bussin. “Finding funding is not an easy thing to accomplish on a project like this.”
Once construction began, contractors had to overcome the poor quality of the terrain, which further complicated things.
“The contractor monitored the site and found unstable ground,” says Bussin.
The area is composed of sand and loamy soil due to the park’s proximity to the waterfront, which delayed completion by several years. The park is built on thousands of cubic metres of rock fill that had to be tested repeatedly for settling.
Chris Taylor, the owner of Core BMX and Boards, says the lengthy building process was worth it, and the city has built a park that suits the needs of the skateboarding community perfectly.
“The new park is incredible, they layout is awesome and the concrete is slippery smooth,” says Taylor. “The feedback has been 100 percent positive.”
The new park includes a variety of ramps and rails for boarders to practice tricks on. Two more phases of construction are awaiting funding, including a large concrete bowl.
Skateboarder Jacob MacLean, 18, says the park is well thought out and the layout has good flow.
“As architectural design goes, the park is flawless,” MacLean says.
Bussin says the park will help build up the economy of the neighbourhood.
“It has been a real shot to the arm to an area that has been depressed since I was a kid,” Bussin says. “It has the potential to open up a trendy business area.”
MacLean says it is great to see the government rallying behind skateboarders.
“It’s progress, that’s what that means,” he says. “Everyone greatly appreciates that the government is coming around to our side.”