Indoor skatepark creators (L-R): Jory Stang, Clint Hardie, Nathan Fisher, Joshuah Langner and Silas Langner in 2022. (File photo credit: City of Vernon)

By Liam Verster

Third Year of Operations

Vernon’s indoor skate park set to open in April

Mar 15, 2024 | 6:00 AM

An indoor skate park will be set up at the Vernon Curling Rink this spring and through the summer.

Once the ice has been removed, the park features, such as ramps and rails, will be installed.

“The plan is that on April 8th we’ll have the free drop in at the Curling Club,” Shayne Wright, Recreation Services’ Manager of Community Recreation, told Vernon Matters.

“It will be [available] most evenings, and then there’s a few dates that we’ve missed due to other rentals taking place in the facility, but pretty much April through to September, there will be free drop-in sessions for skateboarding.”

The City of Vernon has partnered with the Vernon Association of Skateboard Enthusiasts (VASE) to run the indoor park since 2021, which provides a supervised and monitored facility for skaters of all ages.

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“We actually have volunteers on site, they’ve been vetted and have volunteer record checks,” Wright explained.

“Kids have to sign a waiver, kids under seven have to have their parents in attendance. We have rules in place, and because of the volunteers there, we’re able to enforce the rules. The environment is a little bit more controlled, parents can feel confident that it’s a safe space. The washrooms and everything are right there beside it so you don’t need to run around outside. It’s still a welcoming space. Everyone is welcome to join in, but it’s definitely a respectful environment and everybody’s trying to keep it open.”

Wright noted the volunteers will need to look over all the features, as Rec Services has had them in storage since last year. If there is any damage to the items, then VASE will use crowd-funded money to make any necessary repairs or replace them.

Wright added the skate park won’t be fully set up to start with, as the equipment will have to be removed for the events booked for the facility, but all the features should be set up and ready to use by June.

The indoor facility will allow people to ride their boards, even when the weather is not cooperating.

“If it’s smokey or raining, you have somewhere to play pretty much the whole summer, which is amazing,” Wright said, explaining that it opens early in the spring as there’s usually a lot of rain that time of year.

“It’s a controlled environment, you can guarantee a time, you can [plan an outing] and actually go there and not worry about it being pouring rain or a lightning storm or something like that.”

As the facility is not air conditioned, the indoor skate park will be open Monday to Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. most weeks, with the first hour of operations set aside for smaller skaters.

Recreation Services will also be able to use the facility to run skate camps over the summer.

Wright noted the park has been well used over the past two years, with an average of 30 people dropping in each day.

The schedule for the indoor skate park can be found at the City of Vernon’s website.