The city of Hailey has plans to expand its world-class skatepark to include easier "street skating" terrain for beginners. The expansion, which could begin next summer, is part of an on-going redevelopment of the Hailey Rodeo Grounds.
A committee has been reviewing designs for the skatepark expansion before making a final decision today. The Hailey Parks and Lands Board will then use the final design in a grant application to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation to help fund the project.
Building official Dave Ferguson agreed to be on the design review committee.
"He's an old skater from way back," said Public Works Director Tom Hellen.
Hellen said the budget for the expansion has been capped at $245,000. He said the plan is comprised of an 18,000-square-foot expansion adjacent to the existing skatepark at the south end of town.
The city hopes to get half the cost of the expansion, or $122,500, from the Idaho Parks and Recreation Department. The rest will be paid by the city.
The plan includes 7,000 square feet of landscaping in three separate areas within the expansion. The street-skating features will include stairs, rails, ramps and relatively level terrain for beginners, compared with the walls, halfpipe and other more challenging terrain at the existing $1.5 million skatepark.
The Parks and Lands Board voted on Dec. 7 to recommend to the City Council that the skatepark be available for rental only for public events such as skating exhibitions, but not for private events, such as birthday parties. The board also decided to recommend that the skatepark be available for fundraisers, but only if they benefit the public parks of Hailey.
The Parks and Lands Board will discuss the skatepark expansion and grant application at its regular meeting in January—time and date to be announced.
Tony Evans: tevans@mtexpress.com
