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Penticton councillors want lights installed at Riverside skate park to improve safety

Councillors Ryan Graham, Isaac Gilbert and Amelia Boultbee will present the motion Tuesday
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Penticton Skate Park during Youth Week 2022 .(Brennan Phillips - Western News)

A trio of local politicians want to see lights installed at Penticton’s largest skate park in a bid to improve public safety.

Councillors Ryan Graham, Isaac Gilbert and Amelia Boultbee are teaming up Tuesday, May 2, to present a notice of motion that requests staff to use funds from a provincial grant to install lights at Riverside Youth Park.

“Youth and kids deserve to play and hangout out in safe spaces,” the motion reads. “Riverside park has seen vandalism at the washrooms and in the park boundary. This can lead to more crime and mischief in the park.”

The motion continues to say that lighting can be used as a tool to reduce crime in public spaces.

“It allows for better sight lines and observations at night allowing for more eyes to view the park for inappropriate activity. This keeps all community members accountable and makes a space more comfortable to be in, especially at night.”

If approved Tuesday by Mayor Julius Bloomfield and the rest of council, money will be pulled from the B.C. government’s Growing Communities Fund. It allows for spending on things like sidewalks, curbing, lighting and parks.

Cost estimates are not outlined in the notice of motion.

The park in question is located at 185 Riverside Drive.

Public safety was the subject of a rally that took place nearby the park this week.

Dubbed “Enough is Enough,” more than 20 people gathered at Riverside on Thursday, April 28, calling for the provincial government to declare a public safety emergency.

READ ALSO: Involuntary treatment needed, say Penticton ‘Enough is Enough’ rally


@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com