Newmarket mulls shining lights on skateboard park vandals

Town staff to explore feasibility of adding lights to Magna Centre park, after councillor raises concerns about vandalism

Newmarkettoday.ca
April 5, 2023
Joseph Quigley

Newmarket skateboarders may be able to shred under the bright lights as the town mulls adding them to its new skate park.

Councillor Grace Simon asked at the April 3 council meeting for a staff report on the idea. The $2-million outdoor park outside the Magna Centre opened last August but lacked lighting at night, rendering it unusable after dark.

But Simon said that vandalism is a concern at the park, which lights could help curb.

“The snow is melting, and the sun is coming out. We’re excited, but it makes me think about some issues,” she said. “Having some lights affixed to the skate park, so we can avoid some of the vandalism we experienced last year.”

Some skate park enthusiasts also called for lights last year so they could use the park later in the day, particularly in the fall when the daylight gets shorter.

Commissioner of community services Jeff Payne said it is an option the town could explore. The municipality proactively installed conduits for the facility so lights could be added to the skate park in the future.

However, the dollars are not currently allocated in the 2023 budget, so Payne said they would have to find money internally or else wait for 2024 to fund it if council decides to proceed.

“We would have to go through a procurement process, which does take time, and we would have to do some planning,” he said. “It is something that’s going to take some time.”

Councillor Kelly Broome asked whether a sponsorship for the lighting could be possible, which Payne said could also be looked at.