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Skate park overhauled - Cowansville youth get cool place to play |
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Young skateboarders in Cowansville and the surrounding areas are heelflipping for joy after Mayor Arthur Fauteaux announced the creation of the Cowanskate Cult youth program last week.
The project begins this year by renovating the skate park with the goal of providing young people a fun place to hang out.
“A project like this is created with the youth of the community in mind,” said Ramon Vitesse, cultural services agent and head of Biblio-Vélo, a youth program that brings books to the kids of the community by bike.
“A program like this not only affects the kids in the local community, but from every region, Granby, Sherbrooke and even the Montérégie.”
Biblio-Vélo and the town of Cowansville will team up with Culture, Heritage, and Tourism Services, the youth centre Le Trait D’Union, the community youth housing group Living Room, and Leisure and Community Services to get this endeavor off the ground.
The project is broken up into three phases. Phase one begins this summer. Renovations upwards of $20,000 are planned for the skating structures in order to improve the durability of the concrete.
“We have difficult weather in this province, and we want to make sure that this park will be able to stand up to it for a long time to come,” said Vitesse.
A three-day festival will be presented from July 11 to 13, where the park will be set up to tease the senses.
Visual arts, like graffiti, skateboard designs, stencil art, henna, and body painting as well as concerts and loudspeakers playing local alternative music like punk, metal and hip hop will be showcased.
Most of the people involved will be working on a volunteer basis, which makes an event like this even more gratifying: “This festival not only gives to the youth of the community, but it brings the community together,” said Vitesse.
The festival’s main attraction will be a skateboard and roller blade competition spanning the three days.
“This contest is set up to inspire the youth to be involved in a positive activity,” said Vitesse. “If we provide something and somewhere cool, then we are providing a means to avoid getting into trouble.”
The entire project is scheduled for three years, with phases two and three following in 2009 and 2010. The three year plan will cost an estimated $80,000 in total.
Said Vitesse: “Anytime you can give kids a place to go, you get them off the streets, and that’s what is important here.”
By Joe Strizzi
May 13, 2008 |
Montreal Canadiens
