Sparwood’s Lions Park skating loop has gone from strength to strength since it was first trialled early in 2021, and has received an honorable mention at local government excellence awards earlier this week.
The district received the recognition in the “Excellence in Service Delivery” category at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) community excellence awards at the annual UBCM convention in Whistler on September 13.
“This is a reflection on how hard and innovative our recreation department work to provide recreational opportunities for the residents of Sparwood,” said Sparwood Mayor David Wilks.
“Congratulations to all the employees and staff for their hard work to make Sparwood such a great place to work and play.”
The winner in the category was the City of Coquitlam, for a program in wildlife attractant reduction.
The skating loop at Lions Park was created and opened in early 2021, after district staff used a Zamboni to create a skating-friendly surface in Lions Park on a 400m path.
The idea behind the had been to create more outdoor amenities for locals – and the loop proved so popular that after one trial month, the district secured itself a $62,447 grant from the Columbia Basin Trust to pave the loop (making it easier to drive a Zamboni on), and extend the length of the loop for the following (2021-2022) winter season.
The skating loop will be returning every winter for locals to enjoy.
READ MORE: Sparwood’s outdoor skate trail proves a hit
scott.tibballs@thefreepress.ca
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