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*** The Ritzville Skate Park Update ***

Ritzville, Washington -- 05/06/2010
Youth and city council continue skate park efforts.



The Ritzville City Council spent a considerable portion of the
April 20 meeting discussing the skate park public forum the
week before and the next steps.

According to Clerk/Treasurer Kris Hansen, two ramp companies
and one concrete contractor provided information at the skate
park meeting.

About 20 Ritzville residents ranging in age from junior high students
to grandparents as well as council members Darrel Koss, Gary Cook
and Ann Olson, Mayor Linda Kadlec and Public Works Superintendent
Larry Swift spent the evening of April 15 at the Washington Wheat
Foundation building as three companies presented information on
their proposals for a skate park.

“The purpose was to see what was within city’s budget and to provide
a chance for entities to explain the benefit of their company as well as
let kids know what $30,000 can get and what the city will get in turn,”
Hansen said. “(The kids) stepped up. They are willing to volunteer.
They are willing to form an organization. They want to sell t-shirts
as fundraisers. They’re really gung ho.”

Hansen recommended a group or entity be formed to work together
with the interested citizens, youth and city and keep the project moving
forward rather than do it all within the council.

This group would involve the people interested in the project, develop
criteria, research the products involved, research possible funding
sources and report to the council, Hansen added.

She also noted that she was approached by three youth after the
meeting. They informed her they are ready to move forward through
volunteering, fundraising, garnering community support, etc.

The council agreed by consensus to form a committee. Councilman
Scott Yaeger and Mayor Kadlec volunteered to serve on the committee.

“There are pros and cons of all of it. I think it’s really important to
get the kids involved. I can say one thing. If you go with the ramps,
you will have it immediately. If you go with concrete, it will take some
time,” Hansen said, adding that other municipalities with skate park
facilities have a separate entity.

The mayor noted that she hopes to see a facility completed by this fall.

The city recently purchased property across from the Little League
field at 505 West Columbia to site the facility. Preliminary plans are
for the fire department to utilize the structure for training purposes.

03/06/2010 - Ritzville Gets Skate Park Land.
09/18/2009 - Ritzville Considers A Skate Park.
ACC - www.genesbmx.com/Eastern-Washington-Skate-Parks.html
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