BROOKFIELD - Nick Forbes summed up his reason for being at the Don Henderson Memorial Sportsplex on Monday in a single word.
"Fun," the 15-year-old Hilden teen said.
Forbes was one of about 20 youth who turned out to participate in a mobile skate park held at the arena as part of a series of rotating events being hosted throughout the summer by the Municipality of Colchester's recreation department.
"It's not as crowded as Truro," he said, regarding the Truro Skate Park.
Austin MacCoul, 13, of Truro agreed. "Me and my friends were tired of going to the Truro Skate Park so we decided to come out here to see if it's more fun," the BMX biker said.
"It's pretty good," he said of a series of ramps, rails and quarter pipes set up in the arena.
"Yeah, there's a little bit of a selection. It's enough to ride at least," he said. "Good change from Truro. No bad influences around here."
Logan Toole, 13, of Brookside also seemed impressed with the layout.
"I think it's pretty good. It's a pretty big change from Truro Skate Park and you can just come and it's only $2 and it's just fun."
The mobile skate park was introduced by the municipality as a way to get more youth involved in physical activities, according to Active Communities coordinator, Terri Robblee.
"Something a little bit more unconventional the kids might want to do to get them out get them active, realizing there's different ways to move and be active," she said.
"We had talked to a few kids within the ages of 10 to 14 and we did some focus groups in some different schools.
One of the realizations from that exercise was that not all kids are interested in such traditional sports as basketball or baseball, she said.
"There's a lot of interest these days in different types of active transportation, which this is. And those kids sort of analyzed that there's a great skate park in Truro and everyone uses it. But there are some kids that just do not have a way there. So we thought, if we take it to them, more chance for them to be active," she said.
"Also it gives them a chance to get out and have a good time."
And all ages and abilities, including "mom and dad" are invited to participate, Robblee said.
The park will be in Brookfield until July 13 before moving on to Stewiacke's Dennis Park for July 16 to 20. From there it will be at the West Colchester Arena from July 23 to 27; the Bible Hill Fire Hall July 30 to Aug. 3; back to the Sportsplex for Aug. 7 to 10 and then will finish up the season at the Tatamagouche arena from Aug. 13 to 18.
T Page- I am not exactly sure of the $ amount for the Truro Skate Park but it took over 5 years and the cost was outlandish. When the consumer is a group of taxpayers the costs seem to go through the roof. Don't get me wrong as I think every area should have a skatepark but the costs are over the top. Someone tell me why. It is concrete for goodness sake. No denying their popularity.