Tim Collins /News staff
The concerns raised by the Columbia Valley Skateboard Association on August 31, while understandable, may be much ado about nothing and Mayor Mark McKee maintains that the City of Revelstoke continues to be behind the project and fully intends to make it happen.
The skateboard park is currently planned as a 16,000-square-foot facility in Kovach Park.
It was, perhaps, the City’s efforts to expedite the process that led to the seemingly unwarranted level of concern on the part of the skateboarders.
“We’re behind this project and we wanted to make certain that it is built to the highest standard. After all, when it’s done, the City will own and have to maintain the park,” said McKee, adding that, since the City’s Engineering Department has been inundated with projects and approvals, it was necessary, in late June, to seek an outside project manager to oversee the project . The cost of that project management was in line with industry standards and amounted to about $68,000.
That move caused consternation on the part of the Columbia Valley Skateboard Association (CVSA) to respond with the August 31 letter in which the vice-president of the association, Chris Payne, wrote:
“Throughout our many years working on the project, it was our clear understanding from city staff that the city engineering department would be acting as they city’s agent overseeing the design-build contractor. “This unexpected, last-minute fee is a major problem because it has reduced our budget by about 10% and has negated the private funds we have raised this year.”
In that same letter the CVSA requested that council approve a $100,000 request for funds from the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation.
McKee said he appreciates the CVSA’s concerns but was quick to defend the move by city council.
“We did that , rather than put off the project until we were able to do the job in-house. And at any rate, we would have had similar costs that would have had to be applied to the project. The $68,000 amount may be reduced by tweaking the terms of reference for the project’s management and by looking into City coffers to see if any additional funds can be accessed either directly or indirectly to cover the project management fees,” said McKee.
“I think what’s important to remember is how supportive the city has been for the skateboard park. Resort Municipality Initiative contributed $250,000, the city put in $150,000 and the Economic Opportunity fund put in $125,000. We’ve stepped up to the plate and we’ll continue to do so. It will be resolved.”
No decision has been made on the additional $100,000 request by the CVSA.