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North Ogden youth ask council for lights and upgrades at skate park; city staff and Weber CTC offer help
Summary
High‑school‑age residents and the Weber CTC urged the council to add lights and repair features at the North Ogden Skate Park; councilors asked staff to provide cost estimates and suggested community fundraising and grant options.
Max Wilson, a North Ogden resident and youth council spokesperson, told the City Council on Sept. 9 that the North Ogden Skate Park needs new lighting and repairs to cracked concrete and worn ramps to improve safety and extend usable hours.
Wilson said a lack of lighting shortens usable hours when sunsets come earlier and that lighting would improve safety and deter undesirable activity after dark. He also described worn obstacles and surface cracking that limit the facility’s appeal. Wilson urged councilors to consider upgrading obstacles, resurfacing problem areas and installing lights.
Council members and staff responded with suggestions. Council member Watson thanked Wilson for speaking and said the Weber CTC (Community That Cares) is holding a skate night Sept. 15 with prizes and a DJ; Julie Anderson, chair of the Weber CTC, said the CTC and its coordinators will attend Monday’s event and are willing to discuss mural work, fundraising and potential matching funds for improvements.
Public works director Dave Espinosa told Wilson the department would look into possible costs for lighting and noted lead times and budget limitations. Council members suggested community‑led fundraising, grants (including county “ramp” grants mentioned by CTC representatives) and a possible role for the youth council in outreach. Watson and other officials encouraged the young people to help lead fundraising efforts and to work with staff to develop an estimate.
Speakers also raised programmatic ideas: a supervised or youth‑only timeslot to make the park friendlier to younger children and outreach to reduce vandalism. Council members asked staff to provide a rough cost estimate for lighting and to explore grant and sponsorship opportunities. The council did not commit city funds at the meeting but directed staff and community partners to report back with cost estimates and potential funding sources.
