Portage la Prairie could one day be home to a new, full skate park. It's an issue that's been on the radar for several years and Portage City Youth Councillor Donovan Hillman has reignited the discussion. The creation of a new skate park was an issue raised by a vast majority of youth who had attended Hillman's open houses last year, and he's decided to help move the issue forward.

"I thought 'Okay, this is the primary youth concern. What am I going to do with this?' I met with the city manager, and then I met with a gentleman by the name of Steve Hildebrand from Youth For Christ. He's been working on it for years now, and I asked him if he was interested him in starting up the committee. I kind of assisted him in that, and he's really been the leader in this."

Hillman notes the committee is made up of about ten people, including representatives from local organizations as well as individuals. He's also working to get a better idea of just what the youth want to see, by putting out surveys in both the city's high schools.

"The response has just been amazing. Not so much how many people, but just what they're putting into it. On the bottom of the sheet we have the question 'Why do you think it would benefit Portage?' and there has been everything from active healthy lifestyles, increasing public safety, to just a place to hang out. It's been amazing."

Hillman admits it's an ambitious project that likely won't be complete before his term as youth councillor comes to an end in August. However, he says his main goal is to have the committee well-established, so they're able to see the project come to fruition.

"The main process I'm trying to achieve as youth councillor with the committee right now is to make sure it can function without city support. That doesn't mean financially, obviously there will need to be a contribution of some finances down the road but as for the operations and stuff like that for the committee. Once I leave, in case my successor does not want to take part in that, then the committee is formed, the committee can role."

He says about 500 surveys have already been distributed, and he's also planning on reaching out to some of the middle school students as well. Currently Portage's skaters have a space beside the BDO Centre, which features a few ramps, hand-made rails, and a single quarter pipe.