By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
The idea of having a skate park in Nephi is not dead
but, to keep it alive, the county's help is needed.
Juab County Commissioners agreed to match whatever
Juab School District donates to the park, up to $18,000 in
one-time funds. The total project is expected to cost
approximately $200,000.
Steve Carter and his son, Cody, requested that the
county change their tentative support from a year ago to
concrete support.
"We met one year ago and talked about a skate park and
received tentative support. Now we are back for a commitment
as to funding," said S. Carter. "I am here to ask for some
specifics."
He said the grant that had been applied for in 2003
was rejected although it was close to being accepted.
Millard County did get a grant and is building two
facilities, as a result.
"Millard County has the IPP facility," said Wm. Boyd
Howarth, commission chairman. "The plant is valued at $3.1
billion and when the Current Creek Power Project goes
on-line, it will be worth approximately $3 million."
Even though the application was rejected on the first
go-round by the state the project has not been rejected by
Nephi City, Carter said. In fact, Mayor Chad Brough, as part
of his re-election bid three years ago, had suggested a
skate park and still wanted to reach that goal before
leaving office.
"We have a shortfall of $35,250," said Carter. "Nephi
has committed to paying one-half of the $200,000 project
costs."
Nephi City, with cash and land, is donating $92,750
for 46.38 percent of the project, said Carter. Local
businesses and citizens have also agreed to donate $10,000
in materials or 5 percent of the project.
The state is being asked for a grant, for the second
time, of $62,000 in cash, which would represent 31
percent.
The county, school district, Mona and Levan are also
being asked for contributions to erase the shortfall.
The money from the city would come from several
budgets, said Carter. Funds would be taken from the Urban
Forestry Capital Budget at $1,500, General fund at $33,750,
the Parks Department budget at $2,500, and the Capital Skate
park Project at $10,000,
Other city contributions would include $40,000 for
land and $5,000 for site preparation.
Carter said it was proposed that the park be built
where the old high school tennis courts were once located.
The concrete pad may be useful, although that has not yet
been decided.
"Our skate park will be above grade and will be steel
on a flat pad," said Carter.
It has the advantage of being able to be remodeled
with less trouble than a below ground grade, such as the
approximately $500,000 Orem skate park which is visible from
the freeway.
"I talked to Commissioner Neil Cook (before commission
meeting) and he said to talk to the other communities around
Nephi," said Carter.
Following that direction, he met with the Levan
council and had talked to Mona Mayor Bryce Lynn. He as that,
if money were available on the county level to be used for
recreation if it would be alright to take that money for
development of the facility.
"I think the skate park facility is a good deal," said
Robert Steele, commissioner.
Cook said he was a bit hesitant to support the skate
park because he was hoping, in the future, that there would
be a recreation facility that would be a big project and
would include a larger skate park.
"That project may be down the road five years," he
said.
That would not be a problem, said Carter. In fact, if
that did occur, he would be out campaigning for the new
facility. He would be especially supportive if it included a
new swimming and recreation complex.
Nevertheless, there was need for the skate park in the
interim. In the next five years it would get a lot of
use.
"We laid out some wooden jumps at the tennis courts
and the kids wore them out," said Carter.
"We need a work session so we can think, discuss and
expand," said Howarth. "Put this item back on the agenda for
the second week of October and then come back in and talk to
us."
In spite of the need to provide raises for county
employees, said Steele, he thought the county could agree to
provide funds up to $18,000 if the school district would
match the contribution.
Commissioners did agree to that proposal.
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