The Municipality of North Cowichan is honouring two individuals who have had a significant impact in our community.
North Cowichan is dedicating the Crofton Skate Park to honour the unofficial Mayor of Crofton, Gerry Hurst.
Hurst is described as a tremendous advocate for youth in the community, and began the quest for a skate park in the late 1990s by creating a Skate Park Youth Committee, and starting various fundraising campaigns. Through his leadership the group raised over 13 thousand dollars for the park.
Mayor Jon Lefebure says “Gerry was a tremendous advocate for youth and never wavered from his vision of securing a Skate Park for Crofton.”
The Gerry Hurst Skate Park is located on Chaplin Street, and is over 55-hundred square feet in size. It accommodates boarders, bikers and scooters of all different skill levels.
In addition, a new North Cowichan trail that stretches from the Cowichan Valley Trail to Highland Avenue is being named the “Al Howie Trail.”
Al Howie is considered one of the most colourful and extraordinary runners in Canadian history. He became known as the “Trans Canada Crossing God” for his long distance running feats during his athletic career.
His longest and most famous run came in 1991 when he ran the length of the Trans-Canada Highway, from the Mile Zero sign in St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Mile Zero in Victoria, completing the equivalent of 2.4 marathons a day for 72 straight days.
Al moved to North Cowichan in 2005 and in 2007, the City of Duncan awarded him the Perpetual Trophy for Excellence and Sportsmanship.
