NEW COMMUNITY GARDEN Donation helps plans for new garden at arts centre - 4
R
E
V
E
L
S
T
O
K
E
50 0 1 6 1
PM40050491
78195
Weds., October 16, 2013 www.revelstoketimesreview.com Vol. 116, No. 42
7
TIMESReview
Revelstoke gardening book - 7
$1.25
New official bus stops keep ski shuttle on Victoria
Dazzling designs on display
Merchants’ lobby to keep ski shuttle route on Victoria Road results in plans for new bus stops this season AARON ORLANDO
editor@revelstoketimesreview.com
The Revelstoke Resort Shuttle will continue on its Victoria Road route this season, after lobbying by stakeholders averted a switch to a safer Third Street route as recommended by senior City of Revelstoke staff. The route change was recommended by the city’s engineering and public works department at a Sept. 26 meeting, and stakeholder engagement was planned to look into a route change. Since then, city officials heard from business owners who wanted the route to continue on Victoria Road because the bus rider trade is important to them. Alpine Village Mall manager Merv Krywa said the morning crowds that ride the busses are important customers for the businesses in the mall, as well as others along Victoria Road. To deal with safety concerns, new, official bus stops will be placed along Victoria Road. New bus stop signs and procedures will be put in place to try to keep bus riders from lining up on the sidewalk too close to passing traffic. “We would have signage telling people to keep back from the curb,” said City of Revelstoke economic development director Alan Mason. Jill Leslie shows her quilt Sisters Escape, one of several dozen by the Revelstoke Quilters Guild that are on display at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre this month. For more, see page 8.
Bus routes, page 4
Alex Cooper/Revelstoke Times Review
Quest for new skateboard park moves back to Kovach Park ALEX COOPER
reporter@revelstoketimesreview.com
The push for a new skateboard park is once again heading back to Kovach Park after Centennial Park was deemed unfeasible, but Southside neighbours aren’t too happy. The Columbia Valley Skateboard Association (CVSA), which is leading the push for a new skateboard park in Revelstoke, went in front of council on Tuesday to once again make the case to re-develop the facility in Kovach Park. Also presented to council — a stack of letters from nearby residents opposing the expansion. Matt Rebelo, a helicopter pilot and home owner near Kovach Park, represented the CVSA in front of council.
His first order was to rebrand the facility – calling it a youth park rather than a skateboard park. “If you go down to the park at any point you’ll find lots of kids on bikes, lots of kids on scooters, rollerbladers, as well as skateboards,” he said. “I feel it limits the view of what this facility actually is by calling it a skateboard park. “I feel it’s mostly kids under the age of 16 that use it. I’m going to call it a youth park. It’s a more fitting name for it.” He provided background on the CVSA’s efforts over the years. The group has been back and forth in their search for a new location. Their initial efforts to build a new facility in Kovach Park were rebuffed by neighbourhood residents and instead the
CVSA was offered a space in Centennial Park. “It has since been deemed by the city’s engineer Mike Thomas that it’s unfeasible to use that area for this facility due to the excavation that needs to happen and the weight of the concrete on top of the landfill that’s in Centennial Park,” said Rebelo. “We’re back to the drawing board on location.” Rebelo presented a chart to council outlining the pros and cons of different parks – Kovach Park was regarded as the best location for a new skateboard park, he said. The plan is to expand the 16,000-square-foot park by 25 per cent – the equivalent of adding 10 extra feet on three sides, he said. He presented a slideshow of skateboard
facilities in other cities, saying they attract people of all ages. “We’ve been at this for five years and we’ve been spinning our wheels on this location thing,” said Rebelo. “Without a location we can’t apply for grants, which is the main source of funding for a facility like this.” He added the CVSA missed out on a round of provincial grants that included a $400,000 grant that went towards a skatepark in Nelson, B.C., because they weren’t shovel-ready. “I ask council to make a decision in the next couple of weeks on this matter so we don’t lose out on more grant opportunities.” Council’s decision won’t be easy due to opposition from several Kovach Park neighbours. Several e-mails to council expressed similar opinions —
that a new skateboard park in Kovach Park would disrupt the balance that exists there.
LOCAL RESIDENTS OPPOSED TO KOVACH PARK Josie Woodman, the chair of the Southside Neighbourhood Group, attended Tuesday’s council meeting. In an interview with the Times Review afterwards, she explained the group’s opposition. “Kovach isn’t available,” she said. “We’ve got a site plan, it doesn’t include changing the skatepark.” She said they had been working on a site plan for the park for the past
Skateboard park, page 3
"NOBODY WORKS HARDER FOR YOU THAN RE/MAX"
1965 Airport Way $359,000
700 Edward Street $399,000
1101+1107 Fourth St. E $529,000
328 Edward Street $575,000
387 Pearkes Drive $439,000
209 1st St. West, Revelstoke, BC V0E 2S0 250-837-5121/fax: 250-837-7020 revelstoke-realty.com Outstanding Agents, Outstanding Results.
"Right Agents for Today's Market" Revelstoke Realty
#209 - 800 MacKenzie Ave. $229,000
OMREB
Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board