Jonah Bowl
It’s been awhile since I’ve given an update on our project, so I’d like to fill everyone in on the latest. We are putting the finishing touches on the design of the Blake Doyle Community Park and have completed almost all of the preliminary development items. The team at Spohn Ranch Skateparks, Jerry Pate Design, and myself have put a lot of thought and effort into the design. I finally am feeling really good about it. In fact, Peter Whitley from the Tony Hawk Foundation said he believes our park will be one of the best in the Nation and he was going to personally show Tony.
I was pretty naive going into this and didn’t realize that the “soft costs” for our project would be over $100,000. These are the things that had to be done before we could start thinking about breaking ground. Stuff like civil engineering, surveying, Phase I Assessment, design/development, and geotechnical work. I’m humbled by all the people that have helped in a big way by offering their professional services at a free or discounted rate. Big thanks to Clint with Geci and Associates, Sonya at Davis Management Solutions, Tim at Tierra Engineering, Rhea at Pillars For Promise, Glen at Biome Consulting, Chris at Bear General Contractors, Sean at ADI Geotech, Steve at Shell Fleming Davis and Menge, and Keri at Holmes and Company. You are all amazing and I sincerely appreciate your help. Also, there is no possible way we would be here without all of the financial support from so many. Thank you all!
The next step is to secure the funding for construction portion. We’ve identified some good funding sources and are actively working on a number of grants.
This is pretty much where we’re at right now. The whole process is more difficult and has taken longer than I thought it would just to get to this point. But, it’s all worth it because we’re going to have an incredible park for people of all ages to enjoy from toddlers to seniors, a venue where we can host professional events, and a safe place for our youth that aren’t involved in traditional team sports. Thank you for believing in this project and all of the help and encouragement along the way!
Mayor Ashton Hayward