A renewed agreement between the Regional District of Nanaimo and the Nanaimo Ladysmith Public School will extend the use of the Cedar Community School Skate Park until 2033.
According to RDN General Manager of Parks and Recreation, Tom Osborne, the skate park is home to 930 square meters of obstacles and features for both beginner and experienced riders.
Along with obtaining the land for only one dollar, the RDN will maintain existing park amenities including parking, washroom facilities, lighting, benches, signage, and much more but Osborne says the park has much more potential and the RDN is also looking at the possibility of expanding it in the future.
“There is some additional land next door to the skate park, and there are other things we could do there,” he says. “It still must be determined what we could do in the future, and that is for the RDN to consider.
“We could provide some additional park infrastructure in that site in addition to the skateboard park.”
Osborne says although there is a lot of potential to provide more facilities the rural community does pose some challenges.
“We don’t have a lot of parklands in the area as it is largely a rural community,” he says. “That means we are limited, but it is also a great opportunity to make sure we maximize the land in general.”
RDN Chair Vanessa Craig said in a media release the park, and its future presents a fantastic opportunity for residents of all ages and is important to everyone’s well-being.
“Access to this popular skate park in Cedar is important to the physical and mental health of the community,” she says. “We are pleased to be able to work with Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools to continue to provide a place where everyone can be active and have fun.”
The park originally opened in 2014 and is located in the southeastern corner of the Cedar Community Secondary School property.
