It might look like a mashed-up collection of plywood, steel and graffiti in a cavernous old warehouse, but for thousands of area kids it has been a second home over the past 16 years.
But the pandemic has claimed a Guelph institution and The Ward Skatepark is no more.
Owner Matt Schmidt has decided the facility on the corner of Victoria Road and York Road will not reopen, announcing he was shutting the business on the park’s Facebook page Tuesday afternoon.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the response. It’s been an emotional day,” he said over the phone, his voice breaking.
“It’s been a tough, difficult time for the past two months,” Schmidt said. “It’s not been an easy decision, but it had to be done. The decision had to be made.”
No revenue for two months and the uncertainty of what things will eventually look like, and the possibility of being shut down again by a second wave of the virus, left Schmidt with little choice.
“It’s a passion for sure. We’re seeing kids that were here now coming back years later with their kids. We wanted to stay here forever, but the pandemic is making things very difficult. It’s the unknown, we just don’t know.”
He said the pandemic is the ultimate factor in shutting the park down.
“You can’t go on with the unknown,” he said.
“But we did it for 16 years. I must have been doing something right and it was 50/50: it paid the bills and I got to do what’s my passion,” said the father of three boys.
Schmidt was a snowboarding enthusiast returning from Western Canada in 2004 when – with the urging of friends in the snowboard and skateboard world – he decided to open The Ward, planning and building much of it with friends.
“Adam Rutherford was a big part of getting it open,” he said of his friend. “He helped design the park here and was an integral part of getting The Ward open, as were many guys.”
Many who have skated at the park, volunteered there or helped run its summer camps offered kind words on Facebook
“I have truly been blessed to be part of the skate community for the past 16 years and hope that the WARDS impact will live on for years to come ...... I would like to think I treated everyone that has supported the WARD over the years as family and friends and not customers , from myself and my family , thank you,” he posted.
The response was immediate and overwhelming. Within three hours there were 180 comments on the post.
“Thank you for providing a fun place for kids to make amazing memories! You will be missed” - Melanie Pavone.
“You truly changed My boy Izaya’s life!” - Julie Joy
“You and The Ward are responsible for so much of who I am today. You provided us with a second home and a second family” - Ben Bradshaw
Schmidt plans to open an online skate store shortly then look for a small storefront for the same business when normalcy returns.
Schmidt said he feels for all small businesses right now.
“My heart, my thoughts, my prayers go out to all of them.”
