Agenda - Council - 08/14/2007 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CASE # Ia. Skateboarding Element for Happy Days and Relationship to 2008 Park Project By: Mark Riverblood, Park's Supervisor Background: Within the proposed 2008 Parks Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is a projected allocation of $75,000 for what would be the first phase of Ramsey's first skate park. The Park and Recreation Commission and staff have been actively planning and organizing for this project. At this time the best location appears to be at the undeveloped west half of Alpine Park. While the concept plan shows the skate park working well there with other future improvements; more planning is required, and cost estimates will need to be refined and then incorporated within the 5 -year CIP. The $75,000 for 2008 is essentially the purchase cost of ramps etc. and does not include park development. The purpose of this case is not to discuss the 2008 project in detail, but rather to consider the advance purchase of three common skate board features to be used at Happy Days — and then incorporated into the future park project. Observations: Throughout the Park and Recreation Commission's planning process, there has been a desire to provide an opportunity to involve youth skateboarders in any number of aspects leading up to a skate park facility — most notably, selection of components or design issues. A part of this discussion led to the idea of `advertising' Ramsey's upcoming project at Happy Days with a skateboard element. This would be another way to enlist youth in the process. However, an additional benefit would go beyond the skate park planning process - to essentially attract a youth demographic that may have been under- represented at Happy Days in the past. The Happy Days Committee would like to see skateboarding featured at the event, and staff has an agreement with the City of Anoka to borrow two `quarter pipes' and a double sided ramp for the event. To ensure there is enough elements to warrant scheduling the activity, the Park Commission and staff are proposing in addition, the advance purchase of three new items — that would be used in the future project. (These could also be temporarily placed after Happy Days in the westerly parking lot at Alpine to assess local interest.) These new items would be a 3 -foot high quarter pipe, a 2 -foot pyramid slope, and a 6- foot long, 14 -inch high `bench' — all basic requirements of the larger future project. The cost of these three features would be $6,857 with the shipping (6,5001bs.) from Montreal to Ramsey about $1,400. With tax and all costs, the total is $8,793.71. —243—