Skate park gets go ahead COUNCIL is giving a green Hight. to development of a planned skateboard park right against the edge of the hill, past the end of Paul Clark Drive. That’s closer to the es- carpment than its present temporary location over- looking the tennis courts. The decision on the site didn’t come without much last-minute wrangling, Councillor *» David = Hull raised concems that the site is too dark, wooded and out of view, likely attracting more bad apples and wi- wanted activity than a site in more open view, Linda Hawes also noted there might not be enough room for spectators or pic- nic tables, and agreed it’s important for skateboarders to have a prominent spot to perform. Hull instead proposed the city look closely at the pos- sibility of cutting the skateboard park into the bot- tom of the grassed arena hill, between the two landscaped areas. That would mean large retaining walls at greal cost, but Hull said the idea should be explored. “You want to cut out the middle of our lawn on busy Kalum and put in a bunch of concrete?” asked an in- credulous mayor Jack Tal- stra, “Pretty much,’ Hull fesponded, adding the site would be much more visible, close to washrooms and a convenience store, and would free up more room for multiplex parking. Councillor Olga Power also said the idea had merit, possibly reducing the skateboard noise problem for seniors at the Willow Apartments. =" “T can’t really believe we're serious about this,’’ ‘ Talstra said. ; “But if other sites are to be considered, he said, the city - should: embark on a much more detailed planning pro- cess to look at the future of green. space downtown's park areas. - -That, he suggested, could take in both the skateboard park and the multiplex and could. be led by the city’s advisory parks and recrea- tion commission. Couple chased TWO LOCAL seniors were “chased” and = pelted by skateboarders who decended on them from the skateboard park, according to a local man. - Ron Barlett said his ‘parents: were walking on - Kalum St. Sept. 13 around 7 p.m. when about six young ‘ people on skateboards came - down ‘the hill cursing and ‘swearing at them. He ‘said the youths then chased his mother and father _ and threw rocks at them. ~ .. “For. the past few days ~ they’ve been in their home, afraid to come out, and very _shaken,’’ Bartlett told city councillors at a meeting last . Wednesday. Bartlett: said the city ~~ should: take incidents such “as that into account in plan- jing a skateboard park and “not > reward”? poor be- ~ haviour: He.was concerned for the ~~ safety of seniors who live in the Willows Apartments, adding he thinks the youths Might have taken the action because his parents had ‘been walking from the ‘direction of the Willows. . Seniors there have objected to noise coming from the temporary skateboard pazk. -“Tt!'s almost like they were targetied because they thought they were from the - Willows Apartments,”’ . Bartlett said. “He? said any skateboard park that is built showldn’t = bein a neighbourhood where.elderly people live, "The: defenceless old ~~ people in this community ‘deserve. some considera- « tion,” he sald. -. “S] think until you can as- . iste the people of Terrace this kind of thing isn’t going 40 go on, T think you've gat "some. bard decisions . to ‘make’? in the | “If we're going to muck around with the farmers market and now this Ict’s take a tong hard look at the centre piece of town in terms of green space,” Tal- stra said. ‘‘Maybe we have, to look at the whole thing,”’ Talstra’s idea drew back- ing from Hawes, who noted that a hasty decision might not be best. The prospect of major delays and a new planning process drew fierce reaction from councillor —- Rich McDaniel. “T am pleading with this council that when we walk out of here today we have a definite plan,’ he said. “T've worked hard and these kids deserve some- thing better than this.” Councillor Val George sald he would oppose cut- ting into the arena hill and using up even more city green space, - He and Ron Vanderlee urged moving forward with the spot against the hill, and the rest of council — except for Hull — agreed. “7 don’t think we’re wise to make a snap decision like this,’ Hull said, adding the multiplex design isn’t fin- ished and the proposed 12,000 square foot skateboard park could inter- fere with that. “T's an environmentally sensitive area to start with under our Official Com- munity Plan, with houses right above it,’’ Hull noted. The location approval al- lows organizers to begin detailed planning but is still conditional on geotechnical testing ensuring there's no problems with the ground, The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 23, 1998 - A? The winter weather will be here soon. Let us store your R.V. for the Winter. ¢ Fenced, lighted & guard dog protected. Reasonable Rates. IT’S INEVITABLE GET AWAY FROM IT ALL! ALL YEAR ROUND Phone P.O, Box 70 Terrace, BC V8G 442 Phone or Fax: (604)798-2267 or write: Wolter Lily Boy Resort Safeway Club Rogers Sugar White. Fine Granulated. 10-kg. FIRST ONE. SAVE up to $3.61 Price 5a Royale Bathroom Tissue 2 16 Roll or Double 8 Roll, FIRST ONE. EWAY Club Price SAVE up to §2 Bs Valu Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Fillet Removed, Valu Pack | Spare Ribs Ba Whole, Fresh, Pack. ® 2.1B/kg 3 2 ea, Safeway Club Price Safeway Club Price | Green Seedless Grapes Dinner Rolls Product of U.S.A, Package af 12. A No.1 Grade. From the Bakery | SAVE up to $100 SAVE up to $1.30 — — _