The city’s new and more challenging skateboard park will open at Victoria Park this fall, thanks to a big financial boost from the Kiwanis Club of Owen Sound.

Club president Gord Harris announced the $100,000 donation during an appearance at city council Monday night.

Construction should start in about one month, said Kim Allerton, the Northwood Associates landscape architect who is steering the project.

The $230,000 park will be built behind the Julie McArthur Regional Recreation Centre, replacing the skateboard park by the family health team’s office building on the west side by the inner harbour.

“It’s a very exciting project and a great addition to Victoria Park,” Mayor Deb Haswell said after council was updated on the construction timeline for the project and she thanked the Kiwanis Club.

The Kiwanis Club’s focus is on helping kids and there are many recent examples of community projects the club has produced including the Kiwanis Soccer Complex and the accessible playground at Harrison Park, as well as longstanding annual events such as the Kiwanis Music Festival and Santa Claus parade.

Planning director Pam Coulter told councillors that delays in getting the project going were caused by “geotechnical” concerns, which will require solid footings to be installed to support light poles. She said bids on the work will be sought this week, with the jobs to be awarded Aug. 12 and the park opening in “later fall.”

She said in an e-mailed response to questions that the city is contributing $130,000, paid out by a combination of the capital budget and park reserves.

Allerton said last November it would cost more than $160,000 for the entire plan as proposed. The city paid $15,000 for the design drawings and budgeted another $45,000 for construction of the park, which was to have opened this past spring.

In November, city staff were hoping to bring in $100,000 through corporate donations and sponsorships.

Allerton said in an interview Monday before the council meeting that the project cost went up after the city decided to “do it right.”

More features have been added to make the skate park more challenging, she said.

The concrete ice pad was saved during the demolition of the coliseum for the new park, which is being designed for use by people on skateboards, scooters and BMX bicycles.

A half pipe, jumps and other equipment from the city’s current skateboard park will be moved to the new site, which will also feature new equipment. The concrete pad will be repaired and some park features will be placed over certain problem areas to make the best use of the available space. The concrete pad will be extended a little for landing areas.

One significant cost will be for poured concrete benches, Allerton said. They’ll be of varying heights and will be installed along the long sides of the former ice pad. Skaters will jump their boards onto them and slide along the edge of the benches, a manoeuvre called grinding, she said.

A new concrete pyramid will be poured. Skaters will skate up any of the four sides and and can come to a stop on the flat top. There will be boulders for spectator seating, gaps will be cut in the concrete pad for drainage and as an obstacle feature, Allerton said.

The park lights will likely be put on timers, allowing skaters to use the it in spring and fall when the days are shorter, Allerton said.

Her design reflects “a great deal of input from the users,” she stressed. After they helped with an initial design, Allerton produced a draft, then revised it after hearing further input from users, she said.