Efforts to build a skate park in RR now underway

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Ashley Stamler of Rainy River has decided to promote a sport that she herself is not participating in but her kids and many others are in the community.
Stamler has taken it upon herself to get a skate park going in Rainy River. Her efforts stem from the feeling she has that, “There is nothing for kids to do here.”
Her two sons are avid skateboarders and when mom started talking about kick starting efforts to make a skate park in Rainy River they were elated and so were many of their friends.
Stamler called a meeting of all interest kids in the community and was pleased that more than a dozen showed up. Having toured Barkman Concrete in Steinbach, Manitoba, Ashley was armed with all kinds of schematics for different equipment possibilities. “I showed the kids and asked every one of them to tell me what they wanted.” In the final plan, which has an approximate price tag of $50,000 to $70,000 she said, “I tried to incorporate something from every kid there.”
The equipment she is proposing to purchase includes a pyramid, two quarter pipes, rails, stairs and platforms; all made to specifications that allow for the safest skating experience possible. “That is important to me. I want the kids to be as safe as possible.”
After the Legion helped the Recreation Board pave the old tennis courts to be used as a multipurpose pad, including a skateboarding park, no one stepped up and raised money to purchase equipment for a skate park. Now Stamler has done that and has been impressed with the response from the community from her early efforts. “The kids went door to door and raised $200 in 20 minutes for the park.” She also held a bake sale before Christmas and participated in Fort Frances’ Polar Plunge. To date they have raised just over a thousand dollars and are really just beginning to ramp up efforts to fund raise.
Stamler has obtained permission from the Rainy River Recreation Board to pursue the interests for a skate park as the pad is on their property adjacent to the RR arena. She is operating as a subcommittee of the Rec. Bd. but to date has not been able to enlist any other adults to help her out. She said the support from the kids has been amazing and she feels that by actively involving them in the process it will give them a sense of ownership and build positive energy in them now and for the future of the community.
Stamler said she herself was never a person that did things. “I always complained but never did anything.” After talking about it last summer the idea took seed in her being this past fall and now she is getting involved. She would like other parents to do the same. “Together we can do anything, but I need help.”
She has had both positive and negative criticism of her efforts, but she is not letting the naysayers hold her back. “They have said why don’t the kids just go to Baudette and use their’s (skate park)?” Stamler noted it takes her kids about 40 minutes to get to that one and with the increasingly difficulties in crossing the border she feels a park here is needed. “We lost our theatre, used to have roller skating and many sports activities are put on only for the younger kids. The older kids need something too.”
While she appreciates people wanting to retire here she says that Rainy River needs to be more than just that. The skate park is more than just a skateboard park. She noted that roller bladers can use it as can BMX bikers. She also feels there is enough room on the pad to still offer outdoor basketball and street hockey and ice skating in the winter.
While she has not completely settled on a name she is thinking “Rainy River Sk8 Park.” Anyone wanting to help get the project off the ground can call her at 852-1147.
Her optimistic plans see it being fully in place by early summer. However, if she has to do it in steps she will.
She noted that Barkman Concrete has offered them very good pricing on the equipment as they have several pieces on hand from skate parks that were started and never completed.
She is also writing several foundations in search of funding assistance including the Tony Hawk Foundation. Hawk is a big name in the skateboarding world and has set up a foundation to help get kids into the sport. Stamler also plans to approach various local charities and larger corporations for help.