Policy committee advances ‘Skywatch Park’ name for new neighborhood park to study session

The Parks Foundation Quality of Life Policy Committee advanced a resolution to send a recommended name for a new 22-acre neighborhood park at South Eider Street and East Smoky Hill Drive to a study session, after staff presented the master plan and community survey results. Chad Hiron, planning supervisor, told the committee the park has been informally called "Dome Park" because of a nearby FAA navigational radar dome but that staff and the community favored Skywatch Park. "Skywatch Park was selected," Hiron said, noting the name references the radar dome and the park's elevation of 6,150 feet. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board recommended the name on Sept. 3. Hiron said 29 people responded to a public survey and 14 selected Skywatch Park. He outlined the planned amenities, including two dog-park areas, shade shelters and picnic tables, a mountain-bike skills trail, two pickleball courts, a basketball court, a playground, a beginner bicycle pump track and on-street parking. Committee members voiced support for advancing the item. Council member Coombs said, "I think it sounds like y'all did a great job kind of getting community input. The name makes a lot of sense." Council member Murillo said the community process gave residents ownership and said she was "really excited" to move it forward. Council members also confirmed that a chain-link fence currently surrounds the FAA installation and that a lightly used maintenance access road near the dome would not be a circulation barrier for park users. The item will be considered at a future study session; no roll-call vote was recorded at the policy committee meeting.