While it might look like dirt and sticks right now, the Yorkton Skate Park has taken an important step towards completion. Ground has been broken, with the hole that will soon become the bowl feature being the initial dig.
Mayor James Wilson says that the project is one that has brought the community together and he's looking forward to seeing it continue towards its eventual completion.
"This project is beginning here, we'll see it come to fruition in September. The youth have been talking about it for some time, and it gives the ability to create a healthy environment and participation in a walking, biking and skateboard park," Wilson says.
The storm catch basin on Brodie Ave has already been completed, Wilson notes, and the skate park and landscaping are the next steps. He says it's a community project, and notes that it's something people can get behind, whether it's Diggers Excavating which is donating their services, or people like Justin Yawney who is the chair of the Brodie Ave. Rehabilitation Project.
Nathan Grayston, co-chair of the Yorkton Skateboard Club, who has been with the project since the beginning, says that the first steps are exciting, especially watching the park get translated from plan to reality.
"It's really awesome to see it laid out, and see where all the features are going to be and actually see holes in the ground," Grayston says.
Grayston promises that the park will be well rounded, and have features that everyone can enjoy and which are appropriate for all skill levels. The process of finding that balance was difficult, but he says that it's going to a world class facility that the skaters in the area have been waiting for since they first started.
"We're starting, it's happening, it's in progress, it's going to be a reality this year," Grayston concludes.