New skate park plan approved

by Jennie Oemig

At its meeting on March 13, the SubletteCounty School District (SCSD) #1 Board of Trustees voted to approve the new concept design for the skate park on South Tyler Avenue. According to cost estimates, the price tag for the project will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $720,000. However, that approximation does not include such things as lighting for the volleyball courts, which is listed as an alternate item on the preliminary cost estimate document.

Seeing that skate park lights, as well as volleyball court and ice rink lights were listed as alternate items, board member Jamison Ziegler suggested the inclusion of an alternate surface for the basketball court that doesn’t crack as easily as asphalt.

“I want to make sure we include the alternates,” he said before the motion of approval was made. “ … and look into an estimate for a post-tension concrete slab.”

Board member Chris Sullivan noted that the designer, who is a skateboarder, said that because of shadows that could be created, lights should be left out of the skate park area.

“He suggested we not put it in for safety,” Sullivan said.

Being as such, chair Bret Kingsbury said the board could eliminate the skate park lighting and substitute the concrete when the project is put out to bid.

In order to get the construction process started, the school district’s attorney Doug Mason drafted two agreements concerning matters directly associated to the property on south Tyler.

While neither agreement has been presented to the town or the neighboring church at this juncture, that will be the next step.

“The town hasn’t agreed to it yet,” Mason said. “But it’s been discussed with them before.”

In the maintenance agreement with the Town of Pinedale, an initial three-year term is established, though the school retains the right to sell, lease or change the primary purpose of the property.

According to the agreement, the Town would be accountable for managing and maintaining the facility for the public’s benefit. These responsibilities would include trash removal, grounds cleanup, restroom cleaning, lawn mowing, landscape maintenance and painting.

Since there was an easement held by the Pinedale Community United Church of Christ (UCC) on the north edge of the property, Mason drafted an agreement stating that the non-exclusive use of the parking area was applicable to churchgoers.

While the walkway that will be constructed where the alley between the property and church currently sits is mainly for pedestrian use, the proposed agreement states that it will allow for occasional vehicle access that may be necessary for funerals and other church activities.

Seeing as how the agreements have yet to gain approval from those two institutions, Mason said nothing is set in stone at this point.

“If we need to make some changes and our board can live with them, then we will,” he said.