Troy seeks volunteers for skate park committee

Troy City Council has taken the first steps towards revamping the municipality’s dilapidated skate park, voting to create a committee focused on the project June 16.

While councilors still have to approve another resolution to formally establish the committee, the action signaled the panel’s intent to draw on the community for ideas for the park.

Officials have already begun securing funds to back the project. City Councilor TJ Boswell said a donor has discussed putting $5,000 towards the construction of the park. By drawing on matching funds and other grants, City Councilor Shawna Kelsey said the municipality could turn the donation into $25,000.

Boswell said these funds would not turn the mostly bare 40-foot by 90-foot concrete slab in Roosevelt Park into an expansive park like its counterparts in Missoula and Helena. Still, the donation and grant monies would allow for the purchase of a significant amount of concrete and plywood needed to make features.

While glad to see the municipality making headway on the project, Mayor Dallas Carr said the future of the skate park hinged on community involvement. Recruiting members for the new board, settling on a vision for the site and finding the volunteers to build the park will be critical.

“All these projects are great but the city needs help,” said Carr. “Organizations need to step up and come in and help to the best of their abilities. Even if it’s just a shovel.”

In recent months city councilors have heard from a handful of residents in favor of rebuilding the park.

During a meeting in early June, Maggie Anderson and Shayann Cecilio, of Unite for Youth, asked councilors to consider input from local youth when redesigning the site. Through her work with Unite for Youth, Anderson said she had heard from many residents who were interested in seeing the municipality develop the skate park and other recreational sites.

“We need to dream big,” she said. “Let’s share this vision together with all these great things going on.”

Recent discussions into the future of the skate park kicked off when Zach McDougall presented his vision for the site in April. McDougall told councilors he intended to give the park a renegade feel by constructing a series of Do-It-Yourself features out of concrete and cinder block.

Boswell suggested working with an engineering firm to put together a more comprehensive plan for the park. Working off the blueprint, local officials could take a piecemeal approach to construction and tackle one or two obstacles a year using grant money.

A clear plan could also improve the odds of the project’s completion. Roughly once a year the council sees a spike in interest over the park and hears about renovation plans, according to Carr. Generally, these efforts peter out without making much headway.

Volunteers looking to serve on the park board can submit letters of interest to the City of Troy, PO Box 823, Troy MT 59935, email them to citytroy@troymt.net or drop them off at City Hall.