Jeffrey White Memorial Skatepark concept illustration. __________________________________________________________________________________
By Pauline Masson –
The Jeffrey White Memorial Skatepark is nearing the date when the city will seek proposals to build the park. But aldermen are still pondering several design issues.
Jared Catoor and Johnny Felts led the drive for this project, but it became one of the most supported and universally popular projects in recent memory
The planned park – conceived, designed and promoted by a citizen committee – gained seemingly unequalled community approval and support. The park is a memorial to U.S. Army SPC Jeffrey White, a skilled teen skateboarder who was killed in Afghanistan.
Based on a concept illustration the skate park ramps, jumps and half pipe would be constructed on the slope between the small pavilion between the City Park entrance and the ball field.
The city received a $240,000 Land & Water Conservation Fund 50-50 matching grant to construct the park and agreed to pay up to half of the grant match.
During the traditional mayor’s comments at the September 16 board of aldermen (BOA) meeting, the timing of final design approval and actual construction of the project were discussed.
Mayor Heather Filley said she believed that the design was to be brought to the BOA in October.
” I want to say it was either 100% or maybe 90% complete for then the board to approve the design,” the mayor said.”So that way it could then go out to RFP (request for proposal) for construction.
Noonan Pavilion, City Park entrance to Birk Circle, popular for children’s birthday parties. _____________________________________________________________
“And then December,,” she added, “was when, I believe, the board hopes to approve the construction, awarding of the construction contract.”
Alderman Scott Lesh, acting president of the board, questioned how the small children’s pavilion at the entrance to the City Park, which borders the site of the planned skatepark, would be affected.
The small gazebo, named for Garland “Ick” Noonan, borders the site of the skatepark.
The concept illustration published for the skatepark shows the concrete from the park leading into the Noonan Pavilion, which is empty of picnic tables.
“I asked a question last time if there was still going to be picnic tables under there and if they’re designing it like the concept illustrations show they’re having a sidewalk come right into that gazebo and then it exits on the other side into the skate park.” Mr. Lesh asked. “My concern is that people that are trying to use that as picnicking or they even reserve if it’s going to have traffic.”
“I went and looked at it. There is room off to the side to have the sidewalk come around the gazebo and connect to the skate park,” he added. “ And I just wondered.”
“I’d say when we get the design, we’d have to look at that, and we’d take that into consideration,” Mayor Filley said. “ If memory serves me correctly, that gazebo is not reservable. That is the one in the park that is strictly first come, first serve. It’s only the other two that can actually be reserved.”
“But yes, there’s not going to be if there’s not going to be any picnic benches and then based on the design, then I think that’s a discussion point that will need to take place when we get that design,” the mayor added.
“ It’s a very popular for birthday parties,” Alderman Karla Stewart said. “If you go down there almost every weekend, there’ll be a birthday party in there.
And it’s a very large there’s currently three tables in it.
“For us to remove those tables doesn’t seem like the best avenue,” Mr. Lesh said. “We still get an opportunity, it sounds like, to weigh in on that design.”
“And Land & Waterwater Conservation will have an opportunity first to weigh in on the design before it comes to the board,” the mayor added.
The little pavilion should not be used as a ‘ staging area’ for the skate park. there is room enough to the side to put benches etc. for the skaters. There should be picnic tables for the pavilion users and a barrier so the pavilion and tables do not become a launch pad for skaters, which would be a safety hazard for the little birthday party goers.