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Parents and skate park group press council on youth programs and lighting; city updates parks projects and picnic shelter plans
Summary
At the June 4 meeting parents raised concerns about canceled summer programs and asked the city to improve awareness and outreach; the Bonner County Skate Park Association asked council to extend evening lights hours for the skate park; staff and council discussed picnic shelter planning, tree plantings and pending City Beach grant decisions.
Parents and community groups raised parks and recreation concerns during public comment at the Sandpoint City Council meeting on June 4 with two items highlighted: a parent asked the council to address the apparent cancellation of summer youth programs previously provided by Skyhawk Sports Academy, and the Bonner County Skate Park Association requested longer evening lighting hours for the skate park.
Danielle Sweareng, a Bonner County resident, told the council she had enrolled children in multiple programs that were later canceled and said low enrollment may be an awareness problem rather than lack of interest. "Every single parent that I talk to about those programs, once they found out about them, either did enroll or were going to enroll," she said, and suggested improved outreach and registration methods.
Adam Hall, vice president of the Bonner County Skate Park Association, asked the council to consider extending park closing times during May–September to 11 p.m. or 11:30 p.m. so riders can use the lights in the cooler evening hours. The association said later closing would make the lighting investment more useful to skaters.
On staff reports, Planning and Parks staff and councilors discussed multiple parks projects: a new picnic shelter proposal for which the Rotary Club has offered volunteer support and fundraising; recent concrete pads and bench installations at downtown parks and the splash pad; newly planted trees and requested mulching/protection for new plantings in the downtown parking lot; and a pending grant decision on City Beach and RV park refurbishment expected June 11.
Councilors and staff said they plan to improve public communication on program offerings and discussed possible public kiosks and QR codes for event and program information downtown. Staff recommended that parents with program concerns follow up directly with Parks & Rec for details and that staff will look at outreach methods to boost enrollment and awareness.
