The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
A voice speaks up for the sledding hill
by Mark Reaman
There is no one place the Crested Butte Town Council can agree on when it comes to moving the skate park. As part of the Big Mine Master Plan process, it has been suggested that to save and enhance the sledding hill, the skate park should move. The staff has suggested moving it to Rainbow Park or the Town Park. The council has had a lot of pushback from neighbors at both locations and is not ready as a board to support either move.
The council has suggested the gravel pit might be an appropriate place but the staff is insisting that is the last location in town big enough to accommodate a major building. So a possible recreation center or potential future school expansion has dibs on that location.
Councilmember Chris Ladoulis asked the staff to ask the planning consultants working on the Big Mine Park Master Plan to consider upgrading the current skate park but not expanding it at the present location.
“The sledding hill could work much better and safer with the extra room. Or the skate park could be expanded over there and we would lose the sledding hill,” said town manager Todd Crossett. “You need to assess what your community wants.”
“The community wants it all but there isn’t enough money to pay for it all,” said Ladoulis.
“Why do we have to decide right now? Why not go forward with a couple of options?” asked councilman Skip Berkshire. “The skate folks might discover that Warren Buffett is a closet skater and he’ll write a big check for an expanded skate park. But until then, there isn’t a big hurry.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see the skate community raise the needed money for an expanded park,” said Crossett. “My question is, what is the additional data you are looking for? Or is it that you don’t want to make someone in a neighborhood uncomfortable? The staff recommendation is that if you think the sledding hill is important, the skate park should go into an existing park because it is a park use.”
“It is foolish to have this conversation with a potential annexation coming up,” said councilperson Shaun Matusewicz. “I know it’s not a sure thing but why not leave this for a few years and see what happens with the annexation? Let’s rehab the skate park we have and let it work as it has for the last 18 or 20 years.”
“The reality is that we’re not going to build a new skate park next year,” added councilman Glenn Michel. “If Warren Buffett does write a check, I’d say keep it where it is and lose the sledding hill.”
Town public works employee Matt Cahir came to the council to share his observations and speak for retaining the sledding hill.
“As a town worker who has been over there seeing how busy it is in the winter, and as a dad, I think having a sledding hill is imperative. There is a big need for a sledding hill in town. People both visiting and living here with small kids use the heck out of it. It is a family activity,” he said. “Not everyone wants to go ice skating or shopping. It is a good, quick amenity for something to do in town. It is a great attribute for that area. I urge you to use caution in losing that asset. And I skateboard.”
Ladoulis asked how much it would cost to repair the current skate park facility. While no one had exact figures, Parks and Recreation director Janna Hansen said she believed an initial estimate was in the $30,000 neighborhood.
“If that’s the cost, I’d commit to another five years of the current scenario,” said Ladoulis.
“I think it is important to wait,” said Matusewicz. “Obviously none of the solutions are great. If the annexation happens, we could have a great solution.”
“A lot could happen in X number of years,” said acting mayor Roland Mason. “The first thing we need to do is maintain the current facility. If we give the skate community an idea of where it will ultimately be, it could motivate them and something could happen in two years. As for the annexation, I don’t think the staff has even considered it for that area.”
Town planner Michael Yerman said he would keep the idea for future annexation discussions with the developers.
Berkshire made a motion to maintain the current facility with the idea of eventually moving the skate park to the Town Park where the volleyball courts are now located. But no one seconded the idea and the motion died.
Ladoulis asked to see the cost of adding street features in the current footprint. “Obviously the council is not comfortable with any decision,” he said.
The council will hold another conversation over where or where not to move the skate park at the next meeting.
