A skate park to replace the one that was torn down is only part of a huge redevelopment of the Creston & District Community Complex grounds that will be paid almost entirely by a $3.1 million Federal Gas Tax Fund grant.
In making the announcement on Saturday, RDCK Area C Director Larry Binks said the new development will create a “destination park”, much like the Aquatic Centre has done for the CDCC indoor facilities.
“Our vision is for all residents and visitors in Creston and the surrounding areas, of all ages and abilities, to be able to take advantage of safe, innovative and meaningful recreation opportunities in their community,” said Binks, who also chairs the Creston Valley Services Committee. “The enhanced Complex will be a ‘destination park’ that will encourage active recreation, build stronger families, and draw tourists. We are grateful to our funders for their support as we work to achieve this goal, and we look forward to including the community as we move forward.”
The project will consist of a reconstructed skate park, which will feature 10,000 sq. ft. of innovative functional spaces that skateboarders, BMX riders and scooter riders will be able to enjoy. The area will also include an accessible walkway and seating area for spectators, and a picnic/civic space with seating for social and community gatherings. Other features will include a revitalized playground, horseshoe pits, and beach volleyball courts; the addition of pickleball courts and a multipurpose basketball court; upgrades to lighting, landscaping, parking areas, trailheads and pathways; and enhancements to accessibility between the indoor and outdoor amenities of the Complex.
“The innovative use of the land on 20th Avenue North will turn a hillside into a place of both activity and beauty,” Mayor Ron Toyota said. Toyota was a volunteer member of the community Design Team that worked with staff and professionals to create the CDCC upgrades and expansion plan a decade ago. “Additions and enhancements will result in a park that will be a true outdoor recreation hub for people of all ages.”
The Creston & District Community Complex is a major community hub for the region and has more than 200,000 visits annually. In 2016, public input identified the need to upgrade the Complex’s outdoor spaces to mirror the dynamic, inclusive and intergenerational nature of the inside spaces, according to an RDCK press release.
The Creston & District Community Complex, is owned and operated by the RDCK. The project is being funded through the Federal Gas Tax Fund, administered by the Union of BC Municipalities in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
Total cost estimate for the project, which is scheduled to start construction next month, is $3.25. The Gas Tax money will be supplemented with a $150,000 Columbia Basin Trust grant through its Recreation Infrastructure Program.
“The Creston & District Community Complex is such a valued, well-used centre of community life for the entire Creston Valley,” said Michelle Mungall, MLA for Nelson-Creston and B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, said about the announcement.. “Well done to the RDCK for securing this funding that will expand and improve the outdoor facilities here.”
“Communities across BC are looking for funding to replace, upgrade and expand local infrastructure,” said Director Wendy Booth, President, Union of BC Municipalities. “The federal Gas Tax Fund is accelerating the pace of infrastructure renewal through the transfer of close to $3 billion since 2005 for projects in our province. I appreciate the Government of Canada’s longterm commitment to fund priorities identified by BC local governments.”