The District of Sparwood has received an honourable mention at the 2022 Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) Conference for the Community Excellence Awards for the Lions Park Skating Loop.

This award was for the category Service Delivery, in which municipalities were recognized for providing effective and beneficial services to the community in a proactive manner and drawing on performance measures, benchmarks and standards to ensure that service delivery is sustainable.

In the fall and winter of 2020/2021 the Lions Park Skating Loop was developed as a pilot project. This outdoor, unrefrigerated skating track is approximately 400 m in length and approximately 2.5 meters wide, woven through a forested park near the Sparwood Leisure Centre.

It is the first of its kind in Sparwood, and surrounding areas, gaining significant popularity and being highly utilized by residents and visitors of all ages in 2021 and again by popular demand in 2022.

This outdoor skating track not only provided residents a safe way to enjoy skating by being outdoors and physically distanced but was also a very well loved and appreciated winter amenity bringing families, friends and the community together safely during the pandemic. With a successful grant, surface upgrades for 2022, and nighttime lighting the track continues to be one of the most popular winter amenities

This project demonstrated excellence by thinking creatively to provide services to residents, in a responsible, cost-efficient way. This project utilized the natural environment and in-house equipment and resources that filled a gap, and bolstered community spirit and mental health during the pandemic by providing safe, physical activity outdoors, especially in the winter when overall activity levels are low.

Sparwood council and staff recognized that physical activity, especially during the winter months was a critical need for many residents and were able to provide this free service which was received with overwhelming appreciation from the community.

The skating trail is a fully accessible skating surface, both for persons with disabilities and individuals with limited incomes.

In addition, the district purchased portable, rechargeable lights, for the loop which allows the skating trail to remain open during the dark evening hours.

Lead image: The District of Sparwood Recreation Maintenance Team pose in Lions Park with the UBCM Community Excellence Honorable Mention Award for the Lions Park Skating Loop. The team was dedicated to ensuring the Loop was a safe and maintained winter activity and were instrumental in its success. District of Sparwood photos

District of Sparwood

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