Dave Mabell
LETHBRIDGE HERALD
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A new southside skateboard park is a step closer, thanks to a $100,000 "naming" donation from a local business.
The $100,000 should help the Lethbridge Skateboard Association raise additional funds, as it works toward a high-visibility skateboard facility next to Henderson Arena. At this afternoon's meeting, city council will be asked to provide a $100,000 interest-free loan to the group, so work can begin as soon as possible.
Ashley Matthews, the city's general manager of recreation and culture, is also recommending the naming rights be granted to SLP Industries, a local company operating from Stewart Siding south of town.
The $100,000 loan would be repaid by SLP, he explains, at a rate of $10,000 annually for 10 years.
The city has already approved a $200,000 grant to the project, he points out.
The skateboard group has raised $35,000, he says, and a local Rotary Club has added $25,000. A restaurant manager has donated $1,000, and Matthews says an anonymous donor has put up $50,000.
The city is hoping for a $219,000 grant from the province, he says, and there's also a smaller grant pending.
Costs of the project - not counting the city-owned property - are estimated at $645,062.
The skateboard group is continuing its fund-raising efforts, Matthews says in a report to council.
Detailed drawings for the project are about 75 per cent complete, he says, and they're expected by April.
Construction would take three to four months, he estimates. Work could begin as soon as funding and designs are in place.
In other business, council will be asked to approve "CASA" as the official name for the city's new community arts centre. It will also be asked to help initiate an "historic" designation for a mansion at the corner of 4 Avenue and 10 Street S., now used as a lawyers' office.
Council's regular session is set for 1:30 p.m., with the public welcome.