The Riverside Skate Park and basketball court is getting lights at a cost of $400,000, about 5 times the cost of lights installed by other communities.
In September city council, unanimously and without questions, approved spending around $400,000 for lighting at the skate park and basketball court. The project appears in the city鈥檚 2024 budget.
In Oliver, the Town confirmed they paid $16,000 to install lights at the skate and dog park in 2021. They used local Argon Electric to complete the project.
The lighting installed at the Summerland skate park was for safety lighting (not to extend park hours for public use as is the reason in Penticton.)
The costs estimates ranged from $25,000 - $75,000 and they ended up tying into an adjacent street lighting project and went with an option on the lower end using 鈥済oose-neck鈥� light standards, said Lori Mullin, Summerland鈥檚 director of community services.
In Squamish, it cost about $30,000 to install lights in 2013.
Penticton鈥檚 general manager of infrastructure Kristen Dixon told the Western News that the cost is based on the size of the skate park, installing 鈥榬ecreational level lighting鈥� as opposed to street or flood lights and costs to extend electrical service to the site. The lighting will be equivalent to baseball diamond lighting.
No reason was given why baseball diamond levels of lighting are needed.
Staff will report back to council later this fall once the detailed design is complete, including an updated estimate and schedule.
Penticton Skate Park will get this triple-A version of lights using part of the $7.1 million Growing Communities Fund to pay for them.
When council watchdog Lynne Kelsey asked for a better explanation of why there was such a huge price tag, Mayor Julius Bloomfield shut her down saying staff is not required to provide council details or reports about priority projects until after they are approved.
鈥淲hy did we not get a staff report on the skate park lights, why did we only get a price sticker? If we are buying $350,000 worth of lights, what are we getting for that price?鈥� said Kelsey at the September meeting.
Bloomfield responded it would be a waste of staff time to make reports to council on every potential project they approve going forward.
鈥淲e need to get some information about the projects first. You have the cart before the horse,鈥� replied Kelsey.
Claire Ellis of the Penticton Roller Skate was also at that September meeting to give council a petition with over 240 signatures in favour of the lights.
鈥淚s this price tag just lights? Will there be water fountains and will be there be shade? Is this huge price tag just for lights,鈥� asked Ellis.
Dixon responded that the price tag is just for the lights, to bring electricity and the fixtures themselves.
Ellis responded to say that she would still love to see a water fountain put up at the park, especially for times when it is 30 C.
The Riverside skate park is the third largest in B.C. and is very popular for skateboarders, scooters and BMX bikes.
Councillors Ryan Graham and Isaac Gilbert made the notice of motion to fund the lights.
When the Western News asked Gilbert what he thought of the price tag in comparison to other lighting costs around B.C., he didn鈥檛 have an issue.
鈥淭he project is important to the community because it provides a low barrier and affordable option for parents to bring their children to a park to spend quality time with them, especially in the spring, fall, and winter when the sun goes down earlier. Also, the lights will provide a safer environment for the park and is a good example of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design,鈥� Gilbert replied.
While the funds are being paid for by the provincial Growing Communities Grant Fund and thus not directly out of the municipal taxpayer鈥檚 pocket, the funds that will be spent on the lighting could also be used for other projects that will instead need to use taxpayer funding.
The lighting will be built on four corners of the skate park as well as the basketball court 鈥渁llowing for extended usage of both amenities into the evening hours,鈥� said the budget report.
