November 2025 | Vol. 34 Iss. 11
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Foggy future: Where will Riverton’s skate park call home By Travis Barton | travis.b@thecityjournals.com
Centennial Park and the new regional park were considered, though city officials stressed this process would be deliberative.
W
hat to do with Riverton’s skate park? The skate park, located at 12600 S. 1435 West, was referenced by council members and residents as the opening snapshot as one enters the city. What to do with it and where it could possibly go was the question city officials and residents considered through the year, especially the last few months, as the process to possibly build a new skate park begins. This process started in 2022, when the Riverton City Council approved a community reinvestment area along 12600 South that included the skate park. The decision, Mayor Trent Staggs explained in council meetings, allowed for potential redevelopment if the skate park needed to be replaced. In May, the council approved a boundary readjustment in that area to meet state code which would allow for restaurants that serve alcohol to proceed. But, Staggs said, that did not automatically open up the skate park for redevelopment. Possibly redeveloping that area, Staggs explained, stems from their resident surveys sent out every two years that saw requests for more restaurants and retail in the historic downtown area. He said they aren’t trying “to pull a fast one” but they were looking at developing “in a way that we hear from residents they wanted.” Councilmember Tawnee McCay said she thought the purpose for the CRA was providing tax increment to a business or reduce the tax amount for so many years like they did for Costco, which she said was a
The skate park, located at 12600 S. 1435 West in front of the Old Dome Meeting Hall, was referenced by council members and residents as the opening snapshot as one enters the city. City officials discussed relocating it to Centennial Park. (Travis Barton/City Journals
good idea. In response to resident sentiment, she noted they did show interest in shopping and restaurants in that area, “but I don’t feel like they would want that at the expense of giving up part of our city park.” City staff explained they had contractors come inspect the skate park and tell them it needed to be replaced, not repaired, as full sections needed replacing. “That is what the professionals have told us,” City Manager Kevin Hicks told the council in September. “It is close to the end of its useful life. It’s not something where
we can go and put some band aids on it, it is something that would need to be a tear out and replace.” In August, city staff sent out requests for proposals on a new skate park. Staff presented Centennial Park as the best option to relocate due to its central location, available land, drainage capabilities and distance from skate parks in other cities. “It was the best fit for everything we were looking for,” Public Works Director Cary Necaise said. He felt the footprint would require over 20,000 square feet. However, members of the council were
surprised Centennial Park was identified as the best location before more discussion or an informal vote among the council had taken place. Councilmembers Andy Pierucci and McCay both expressed interest in the growing west side of the city as a possible location, while Pierucci requested more feedback from the community, especially skate park users. City staff then conducted its own community outreach, holding surveys both online and at the skate park itself where they interviewed park patrons. They also sent surContinued page 8