Alicia Wallace
Rossland News
Rossland Skatepark Association (RSA) had a fantastic December by achieving their goal of $30,000 in 30 days throughout the course of the past month. The RSA’s “30K in 30 days” campaign started when two anonymous donors approached Nelson and District Credit Union (NDCU) with $10,000 each and a challenge to the RSA to double their money with locally matched donations. NDCU quickly stepped up offering an additional $10,000 of matched funds bringing the total matched funds to a possible $30,000.
Throughout the month of December, RSA members set up unique and quirky challenges posting them to the crowd fundraising website Yodel.org, for community financial support and involvement in the project.
Challenges ranged from running up Deer Park Mountain — affectionately known to the locals as A-holes trail (with a few letter omitted) — another challenge involved camping out on the longest night of the year at the proposed skatepark site.
“Rossland needs a skatepark. We’ve got the design, we’ve got the site, and we’ve got the support. Now we just need the rest of the cash. Time to make it happen,” Aaron Cosbey posted with his challenge.
The entire project budget for the outdoor skatepark in Rossland is around half a million dollars. The RSA already has designs sketched for the world-class facility and has approval until the end of 2016 to construct the skatepark on the old Emcon lot located on Washington Street and Third Avenue. If they do not commence construction prior to this time, the City of Rossland has the option to offer the site to another cause or development application.
In December 2014, the not-for-profit association raised $31,280 of community funding which has been matched by the anonymous donors contributing to a $61,280 leap forward in the skatepark’s fundraising efforts. The first of the anonymous donors was so impressed by the challenges that they have proposed another $10,000.
Cosbey explains the association is about 80 per cent of the way to making this project a reality.
”There is about $100,000 left to raise — this is manageable,” he said. When asked where he believes the money may come from, he explained the association would look towards grant funding opportunities to fulfill the remaining 20 per cent of project costs.
“It has really been great — the widespread community support for the skatepark. I would like to thank Steve Cutt (of NDCU) for bringing us (the donors and RSA) together,” said Cosbey. He also acknowledged the Yodel.org website and its role in making this challenge a success.