Creativity on Deck: Student Murals Transform Riverview Skate Park

The walls and ramps of the Riverview Indoor Skatepark and Youth Centre on Lakeside Drive got a colourful makeover — and the artists behind it are students.

Local artist and teacher Ji Hyang Ryu has partnered with the Town of Riverview to bring a student-led mural project to life at the skate park, made possible through a provincial grant.

"We received the grant from the Province," said Matt McKinley, Recreation Workers for the Town of Riverview. "It helped launch the program, working together with local artist and business owner Ji Hyang Ryu." The funding comes through the Arts in Communities Program, which supports arts-based projects and initiatives for new, emerging, and established arts and cultural organizations. For Ryu, stepping into the skate park for the first time sparked immediate inspiration.

"The space was wide open and full of potential," she said. "The students took one look, and their imaginations just ran with it."

Ryu says the experience goes beyond beautifying a public space, and helps leave a lasting mark on the students themselves. "Watching their confidence grow as they see their vision come to life has been incredible," she said.

Ross Smith, owner of East Coast Street Styles, hired to oversee the Riverview Indoor Skatepark and Youth Centre, says the new artwork feels right at home. "The skaters are absolutely pumped about how the park looks," said Smith. "The energy has shifted, and now people come in, see the art, and it just adds to the whole vibe of the place. It feels like it truly belongs here."

The fun doesn't stop there.

This March, the Riverview Indoor Skatepark and Youth Centre will be hosting a contest during the annual MapleFest festival weekend, March 27–29. Skateboarders, rollerbladers, and roller skaters are invited to film their own sweet trick for a chance to be part of the action. Stay tuned — more information to come!