A shade structure could be coming to Orillia’s skate park.
Coun. Rob Kloostra got the wheels rolling during Monday’s council committee meeting when he introduced a motion to have staff report on the feasibility and cost of the project.
“It’s getting quite a draw now,” he said of the Kiwanis Skateboard Park located in Veterans’ Memorial Park. “During COVID, there isn’t a lot of indoor activities to do.”
There aren’t many places near the skate park to find shade, he added.
“This will give some relief from the heat in the summertime.”
Kloostra suggested a shade structure similar to the one at the Orillia Public Library might work. That one cost about $20,000.
A group of residents have been raising money for a new skate park, bringing in about $22,000 to date. A new facility hasn’t been presented as part of budget requests for the city, but Coun. Ralph Cipolla said, “We’re just about due for that — to really take a serious look at a new skate park.”
He wondered if it was worth it to spend money on a shade structure or “get serious” and look at creating a new skate park at the Orillia Recreation Centre or somewhere else in town.
There were questions about whether a structure could be moved to a new skate park if one were to be created. An answer to that could be provided as part of the staff report.
Cipolla also said it would be worth asking upper levels of government to provide funding for a new park.
“If they go to the provincial government or the federal government for a new skate park, there would be some positive reaction to it,” he said.
Kloostra said the province seems keen to provide recreational opportunities, noting Oakville received some provincial funding for a second skate park in that town.
Staff will report back at a later date.
