After three years and numerous trips to city council, advocates for a new skateboard-park in Stratford are getting their wish.
Funding for the project was made available by a cooperative effort between Stratford native Justin Bieber and the local Hyundai dealership who collaborated to raise over $100,000 for the new park. Earlier this month, council voted 9-2 in favour of locating the facility in the under-utilized Shakespeare Park.
Advocates for the project range from dedicated local skateboarders to community leaders like Bruce Whittaker.
“I think it was wonderful to actually hear from the residents, they pushed us to be really well prepared and to really research so we could come up with the answers and we really wanted to have a proposal that would address their concerns as well,” says Whittaker.
Despite vocal opposition from a few residents who live nearby, supporters say the community has been extremely supportive of the project which will be located in Shakespeare Park. Plans for the park design will be forthcoming and a date for construction has yet to be determined.