The skatepark in Langdon has a colourful new face-lift, thanks to the recent efforts of local art students.
And those who access it now have the chance to ride the waves or drop into the mouth of a man-eating shark (metaphorically, of course).
Grade 9 art students from Langdon School were recently tasked with painting the hamlet’s local skatepark. Spending a full day out in the sun, the students took what they learned in class and applied it into their designs.
Grade 9 student Heidi LeMenn is proud of the work she and her classmates completed. She believes everyone put their best foot forward in making the skatepark a more enticing and inviting space.
“It was really nice to create a space that is enjoyable for all people,” she said.
The skatepark is an area of concern due to high levels of vandalism. Derogatory statements and inappropriate language were previously a blight at the skatepark, catching the attention of those who use the outdoor facility.
LeMenn added painting the concrete bowls and ramps was a great opportunity for the Langdon School students to not only showcase their artistic talents, but simultaneously cover up the negative statements that had been plastered on the pavement.
Recognizing that some residents of the hamlet community tend to avoid the skatepark, grade 9 student Ryan Graham mentioned the space is now inclusive for anyone who wishes to visit.
Graham added that doing good in the community left a positive feeling. He is happy for the chance to make a difference in the lives of those within the area.
“Definitely makes you feel warm inside knowing that you did something that can help the community and make everybody's day a little bit better,” he said.
Langdon School art teacher Parke Roberts brainstormed ideas with his two Grade 9 art classes. Examining the work of other painted skateparks, they found the best idea for a theme was something that flowed well with the natural curves of the facility. Thus, they decided to focus their art work around the central theme of water.
Once they decided on the main theme, students broke off into groups and individuals to put their creativity to work. After submitting their ideas, they chose the ones that worked best and merged them into the park’s natural design.
Roberts said they faced a few challenges when completing the project. With the Grade 9s writing their provincial achievement tests and the recent rainy weather coinciding with those end-of-year exams, the students only had one day to make their designs a reality.
“We basically started at about 8:45 a.m. and we went kind of full bore the whole way,” Roberts said. “You needed to be wrapped up by about 2:15 p.m. so time was definitely a challenge.”
Having a sense of responsibility for the environment, Roberts wants his students to recognize the importance of giving back to the community. He added taking part in a project like this gives his students a sense of ownership and appreciation for their work.
Roberts said this experience also helped the students build confidence. He emphasized that sometimes the best learning happen outside the walls of a classroom.
Chair of the Langdon Community Association, Chrissy Craig, hopes the skatepark will now be better respected due to the work of the Grade 9 art classes.
She mentioned teenagers in the hamlet are often viewed negatively by some, but this gave them an opportunity to no longer be stamped with that reputation.
“It’s important so that they end up becoming part of the community instead of always being the outsiders,” she said.
