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Hurricane council reviews $515,000 skate‑park plan and green‑lights grant application work
Summary
Contractor presented an 8,400 sq ft skate park design priced at $515,000 and asked the council to approve up to a $138,000 city match so staff can pursue a state parks grant; council supported pursuing the grant application while asking for more engineering, fencing and lighting detail.
HURRICANE — A local contractor on Monday pitched a proposed concrete skate park for Hurricane and asked the City Council to back a grant application and a possible city match to cover part of the cost.
Dave Duffin, owner of Omega Ramps (his shop borders the proposed site), presented two layout options for an 8,400-square-foot park with mixed beginner and advanced features and said a pro‑forma cost estimate is $515,000, including contingency and a modest construction‑management fee. "With a 5% contingency and an 8% construction management fee, we arrive at $515,000 for this skate park," Duffin told the council.
Duffin said community pledges and in‑kind work already collected total roughly $152,000 and that his team has secured verbal commitments from many local businesses and the high‑school welding program to contribute labor and fabricated features. He asked council to approve allocating up to 27% of the project — roughly $138,000 — as a city contribution so staff can submit an application to a state parks grant program with a March 13 deadline.
Council members praised the community support but repeatedly raised project‑scope questions: some recommended expanding the pre‑design engineering budget, including conduit for future lighting, and adding fencing, security cameras and restroom access. "I think we need to look at a broader scope and make sure we do it right," said the city manager, Caden, during the discussion.
Staff said grant funding decisions are likely in May and that construction — once funded and permitted — could be completed in under three months. Recreation director Tiffany Wright and public‑works staff emphasized coordination with the ball‑field master plan and recommended ensuring the park’s grading, drainage and utility planning do not compromise adjacent projects.
Council sentiment: Members generally supported moving ahead with the grant application and directed staff to continue refining engineering estimates and the match plan; they did not take a final funding vote during the meeting but expressed support for preparing the application and confirming the city contribution in the coming budget cycle.
What’s next: Staff will work with the applicant to document pledged in‑kind support, firm up engineering and contingency estimates, and return to council with a funding recommendation and timeline aligned with the grant program’s schedule.
