Monday, March 18, 2024

No decision made on design for new skatepark

Skaters change course on design preference

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The city’s ad hoc skatepark committee was put together to help select a design for a new skatepark to be located in Enchantment Park in Leavenworth. Over the past couple months, the group, which includes some skaters, have worked together to come up with a design.

The preferred design was presented to the council at the March 14 meeting for approval. However, to the surprise of the council, the skaters at the meeting expressed a preference for a different design altogether.

To begin the discussion, Public Work Director Herb Amick detailed the process for selecting the design that was before the council.

“Grindline was contracted by the city to provide a design, at the recommendation of the ad hoc committee,” Amick said. “They did come up with an initial design and construction estimate. We held a public meeting on Nov. 17, 2016 introducing that preliminary design, taking comments. Went back and posted the comments.”

The committee had another meeting on Jan. 12 and took more suggestions. On March 3, the committee had a joint conference call with Grindline. The ad hoc committee talked about the final design.

“At that time, the committee asked for a couple additional designs, which Grindline provided. On March 8, the ad hoc committee had a final review. Between the time they received those three designs, they took comments from the public,” Amick said. “The ad hoc committee discussed it and came up with the unanimous decision to select this design as shown. Also, Grindline provided other features, which were about $60,000.”

The ad hoc committee had three different designs, said City Administrator Joel Walinski. The reason they selected the final design was they believed it best fit within the confines of the selected site.

The skatepark has design features for all types of skaters, beginner to advanced.

“Remember, one of the first things this city council asked for, if you build a new park, it will cover a range of skater abilities,” Walinski said. “The ad hoc committee also said this design reflected a lot of the suggestions received through the outreach approach. We had a condensed outreach approach. There’s no doubt about that.”

With approval and moving forward, Walinski said construction could be completed this summer. That was was a factor in terms of the process selected and the approach used. The members of the ad hoc committee would be the ones making the final recommendation to the council after they reviewed it and talked with various stakeholders in the community, he said.

The design and construction does fit within the $175,000 budget for the project. Aesthetic improvements could cost another $50,000. Walinski said they are looking at some fundraising and also to Grindline, to give a more detailed funding analysis so they can figure out in-kind donations so the city can purchase more skating features.

Councilman Elmer Larsen asked if some of the features could be added on later.

“I wouldn’t say it can’t happen, although Josh (Wulfman) on the committee, said a lot of aesthetics could be achieved through painting. We heard from the community, the park should be lighted. That is an add-on,” Walinski said. “I know, from the parks department, landscaping needs to be put in place. That can be an add-on.”

Councilwoman Mia Bretz was part of the ad hoc committee. She said building a community skatepark this year was a valid goal.

“I’m disappointed it (the process) was as clunky as it was. I wish the process was smoother. Even though I’m on the ad hoc committee, I’m not totally behind our recommendation,” Bretz said. “We get to do this once. This is a cool opportunity to hear from the people that will be using this, to let them feel some ownership and value and get what they want. It just was too fast. It was too short a process to get more designs and get feedback on them.”

The downside of changing the design at this time is the park would not be built this year, asked Mayor Cheri Kelley Farivar.

“We don’t know that. I’m assuming if we don’t go with this design, we’ll be building next year. It also makes me feel we’ll get less park because we’ll be spending more in the design phase. I’m really torn on this,” Bretz said.

Farivar said they attempted to involve the skate community in this decision making process, but they did not have as much participation as they hoped for. Councilwoman Gretchen Wearne, also an ad hoc committee member, said of the three designs, the one chosen may not be appropriate.

Wenatchee resident Mike Leeds, founder of Community for Wenatchee Valley Skate Parks and board member for national non-profit, Skaters for Public Skate Parks, has been following this process for 15 months.

“When we had good momentum going, we had some good comments, some good features for all skill levels. It seemed like it was really meeting the need,” Leeds said. “However, when you had a conference call with Grindline, most of us did not get to see the moon-boot design. This (current design) is actually quite dangerous. I can’t think of a design quite like that.”

Because the bowl opens up to the street area, Leeds said there would be a lot of collisions and safety issues.

“Because there is an ad hoc committee with two skaters on it, I was ready to come up here and be a cheerleader and say let’s do this, but that is not the right park for us,” Leeds said. “We need to go back to the original design, not the peanut, but the moon-boot. This isn’t what the skaters want.”

Ad hoc committee member Josh Wulfman said the process was shortened. He said after their Friday meeting, there was not enough time to get everyone’s opinion. Of the people he talked to, there was a split between the two designs submitted by Grindline.

“I will lean either way with the majority. The majority now favors the moon-boot design. I would recommend we look at the moon-boot as being our final design,” Wulfman said.

Local skater Stone Parker said the moon-boot design provides more separation between the bowl and street area.

“This design combines the two and eliminates the non-safe stuff. The moon-boot has been tested. It works for a variety of people, including beginning. The rest of the park is almost the same. My recommendation is for the moon-boot bowl,” Parker said.

Another local boarder, Kevin Fiel, said they have one chance to do this.

“If we’re going to do it, let’s do it correct. The design we had at the meeting before, I felt we all left and we’re pretty confident with the idea of it. To see this now, it is just too soon. Let’s rethink this, even if it means a skatepark does not get built this summer. This design is not accepted by skateboarders,” Fiel said.

Mia Abbot talked about the two different types of skaters, the street skaters and the transition or bowl skaters.

“With the closed design, either the peanut or the moon-boot, there is a space for that type of skateboarder. And in the street section, a space for that type of skateboarder. By opening this space, you’re not giving justice to the two types of skateboarders,” Abbot said.

Cari Heneth said the moon-boot design is what everyone wants. Shawn Clark said he’s skated a moon-boot design many times and it was good for new skaters. Jesse Baker suggested the nearby pump track is a good place for kids to learn to skate. Austin Pruce said he liked the moon-boot design.

“The previous design would cater to one or two skaters who would take over the whole park. It wouldn’t allow beginners time to skate,” Pruce said.

Farivar said it seems they need to revise the design. Walinski said if they are going to stop, they need to get more comments.

“If you select the design being recommended here tonight, then four weeks from now when we put the new design up, these folks will be happy and we’ll get a different group in here that say we prefer this,” Walinski said. “I think, if you are going to change the design, I think you need to take a breath, put it on hold and go through a process that includes the skaters here tonight and the other skaters, but also the mom’s and dad’s with the like tikes that skate. You have to give everybody a chance. Stop the process, don’t just push ahead.”

The original design presented to the group which garnered the most positive comments was the closed bowl design, a different shape of bowl with a lot of street features, Walinski said. Councilman Elmer Larsen suggested posting the moon-boot design as the preferred, then get comments for a couple weeks.

Farivar said they heard from the group there has not been sufficient time. Parker said everyone from the ad hoc group was there and had changed their minds on the design, preferring the moon-boot.

“The way city government works, the committee needs to reconsider the recommendation in whatever form it takes. The most efficient method is to hand it back to the ad hoc committee. You have a meeting, discuss this calmly after you’ve had a chance to think about it,” Farivar said. “Then, make the determination if you want to reopen this, that you want to move ahead with the moon-boot design. Grindline has a part in this also. To change it, you have to get back to Grindline. We understand your position, but government works really slow.”

The ad hoc committee will be taking more comments. Farivar suggested to the skaters they make their positions known to representatives of the committee. Councilwoman Margaret Neighbors said this does not have to take a terrible long time. They can’t begin construction right how anyway, Neighbors said.

“We have the potential to make this construction season, but you must be efficient in your planning to make this happen. I really hope you’ll speak to the committee members and make your feelings known. If you wish to change the design, that is the way to do it,” Farivar said.

Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.

 

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