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Kinsmen determined to build toboggan hill

“We’re not in the BMX track maintenance business and I don’t think we have any desire to be.” Charlie Cutforth, County CAO

Ponoka Kinsmen Club has been given the land and the go ahead by Ponoka County councillors to begin planning for the construction of a toboggan hill.

The Kinsmen previously talked to town council about the project, but there wasn’t much land available to them.

“We’ve been in the process of building a toboggan hill for the town of Ponoka,” said project chairperson Ken Groot.

Co-chair Tom Hamilton says they’re hoping to build a four to six sided hill with different slopes and angles for a range of age groups.

Phase one is the hill, and potentially included could be an off-road quad track. “And if it could work out, we could do this off-road quad track the same year. It’s just going to be a simple track, it’s not going to be a major expanse on that part,” said Groot.

Along with the hill, where construction is hopefully to begin construction this summer, the Kinsmen are also envisioning BMX and motocross tracks on the same land, as future projects.

The land is located just south of the county’s waste transfer site, west of Highway 2A on the south end of town.

“We do have money set aside in the club for this, we think it’s a sufficient amount,” said Hamilton.

“I think, at this point, council is in agreement this is a suitable use for the land,” said county CAO Charlie Cutforth.

Although there was an instant agreement to the hill, council needed more discussion for the BMX and motocross tracks. Once built, the Kinsmen don’t want to or have the resources to maintain the track. If the Kinsmen were to lease the land, the liability would come back to the club. “Typically, in the past the Kinsmen kind of build it then give it away,” said Hamilton.

“Obviously, liability is first and foremost of everyone’s concern, but we don’t really have a way to maintain that as the club,” said Hamilton.

The county would hold the insurance policy, but they don’t want to be responsible for the upkeep either. “We’re not in the BMX track maintenance business and I don’t think we have any desire to be,” said Cutforth.

Instead, Cutforth mentioned a separate group of interested individuals coming together to form a committee or organization to look after the tracks.