Visit Casper grant funds boardwalk and viewing-deck work at HealthSouthacre; trustees voice looting and access concerns

Visit Casper grant funding will cover construction of a boardwalk, a viewing deck and related site work at the HealthSouthacre parcel, Parks Department staff said, and the department expects much of the work to be finished by the end of summer if scheduling and weather allow.

The work is grant-funded and managed by Visit Casper; Road and Bridge will perform graveling and grading and be reimbursed where appropriate, Parks staff said. The proposed viewing deck’s finished-floor elevation is roughly 6 feet above ground and the plan includes a boardwalk to improve access and interpretive viewing beyond a current chain-link fence.

Parks staff said the contractor has also proposed removing some chain-link fencing and installing lower cedar-style fencing around the perimeter to improve aesthetics and sight lines. The project package includes picnic shelters, tables, trash cans and funding for a single-stall outhouse near the picnic area; the grant will also cover kiosks and informational signage. Parks staff said they expect new signs to be in place before Memorial Day and that a school field trip from Pavilion, Wyo., has requested access to the bottom of the site on May 14 if conditions allow.

Trustees pressed for details and raised security concerns. Trustee Peter Nicholason warned that replacing a 6-foot chain-link fence with a 4-foot cedar rail would make it easier for people to climb into sensitive areas and asked the parks department to address vandalism and artifact looting risks. Parks staff said the Natrona County Historic Preservation Commission has expressed concerns about looting and that access through adjacent state and BLM lands already provides multiple routes into the site. Staff said patrol and public visibility can reduce looting but acknowledged theft and disturbance have occurred repeatedly.

Parks staff said one practical access change under consideration is installing a cattle guard and a lockable vehicle gate at the picnic-shelter entry and a pedestrian gate to provide a safer, managed route to the old roadbed, rather than leaving informal openings in perimeter fencing.

Trustees also asked for a clearer contract timeline and whether Visit Casper has signed contractors; parks staff said Visit Casper is handling contracts and scheduling, that some work is waiting on Road and Bridge finish dates, and that they would follow up with Visit Casper about firm completion dates and contractor status.

No formal vote or policy decision occurred; trustees discussed concerns, asked staff to get contractor and schedule information, and requested that parks staff notify volunteer groups about safety precautions at the volunteer workday.

Parks staff said volunteers planned to reuse some existing aluminum sign plates and that Rotary volunteers would do maintenance and sign removal at Rotary Park ahead of installation of new plates, with new interpretive and wayfinding signs planned for other park areas.