DIY skatepark pops up in Centretown, unsanctioned by the city

A DIY skatepark has been built up near downtown Ottawa and while it’s popular with skaters, there are questions about its future. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

A new skatepark has appeared in Ottawa’s Centretown but it wasn’t built by the city.

It’s tucked away at the corner of Bronson Avenue and Slater Street and was built by local skateboarders. It’s what’s known as a DIY or ‘Do It Yourself’ skatepark—an unsanctioned, community-created spot.

“It’s very much like a part of skateboard culture in the sense of it’s a DIY effort,” said skateboarder Jordan Wells. “Really it’s kind of like putting graffiti on the wall and making an art piece in that kind of way.”

The DIY park has drawn skaters of all levels, with some saying it includes unique obstacles and features.

“A lot of this stuff you won’t find at your average skatepark,” one skater told CTV News, “aside from maybe the rail and the box.”

But while the space is already proving popular, it’s not officially sanctioned and that means the city could remove it at any time.

In a statement the city says, “While the street is not in use at this time, the City is planning to permanently close this section of road and work with the adjacent landowner to create a development opportunity. In the meantime, staff are currently determining next steps for the improvised skatepark, which includes reaching out to a local skateboarding association.”

Aaron Cayer with the Ottawa Skateboarding Association says the park is part of a larger movement of DIY skateparks, one that reflects how communities can reclaim and repurpose public space.

“Skateboarders have a tendency to look at the world differently,” he said. “It’s an interesting example of how a community group can reappropriate public space in our city.”

He says the association is recommending DIY spaces like this be part of the city’s longterm vision.

“Leeside Park in Vancouver is a great example, where something started like this and I believe they created a memorandum of understanding,” he said.

For the people who helped build the space, it’s about more than just having a place to skate, it’s about creating something meaningful and shared.

“I hope we can just have a space to informally create,” Wells said. “I hope I get a chance to play with more concrete.”

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