A16
LOCAL
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
‘Open house’ mulled for new skate park
Enterprise eyes
Aug. 7 to welcome
all to new facility
By BILL BRADSHAW
Wallowa County Chieftain
ENTERPRISE — A target date
of Saturday, Aug. 7, is being con-
sidered for an open house to wel-
come the community to Enter-
prise’s refurbished skateboard
park, the City Council was told
Monday, June 14.
Alternative high school teacher
Ron Pickens, who has been spear-
heading the work on the park, said
work is slated to begin on it Aug.
2 and it should be completed by
Aug. 6.
The project began in March,
when alternative ed students pro-
posed installing a half-pipe among
the ramps already at the park.
They secured funding from Build-
ing Healthy Families and sought
more from the city.
When news of their plans got
out, a community member stepped
up with a donation of $51,500.
Now, they’re looking at a $60,000
project to totally revamp the skate
park that would involve replac-
ing everything there. The city
agreed to pitch in an additional
Bill Bradshaw/Wallowa County Chieftain
Ron Pickens, a teacher at the alternative high school in Enterprise, updates
the Enterprise CIty Council on plans to reburbish the city’s skateboard
park during a meeting Monday, June 14, 2021. Listening at left is Preston
Aschenbrenner.
$3,500 in April.
Pickens told the council Mon-
day he’s been in contact with the
company that will do the work and
got the start date for the project.
He said the project has received
the promised funds. With the extra
funds, he said, they’re able to pur-
chase benches, trash cans, a picnic
table, a bicycle-repair station and
upgrade the park rules sign. They
also hope to purchase an addi-
tional ramp.
“This is really turning into a
beautiful piece,” he said, adding
that two of his artistic students are
contributing artwork to beautify
the park.
“We’ve gotten a tremendous
amount of support from the com-
munity,” he said.
Plans are to keep one of the
quarter-pipes at the park and store
the other two, he said.
Pickens asked the coun-
cil what he needs to do to hold
the open house. He was curious
about needed permits, coronavirus
restrictions and anything else he
must get the city’s OK on.
“I would love to celebrate this
and I wanted to see where we
stood to hold a grand opening,” he
said.
As part of the grand opening,
hot dogs and other refreshments
are planned.
He’s also hoping to invite pro-
fessional skateboarder and motiva-
tional speaker Brandon Novak to
attend, and possibly demonstrate
his skateboarding prowess. Pick-
ens said he’d like to have Novak
meet with his students at the alter-
native school. He also hopes to
expand the invitation to Wallowa
and to Union and Baker counties.
The council — particularly the
younger members such as Mayor
Ashley Sullivan — were enthusi-
astic over Pickens’ proposal.
“I just want to say this is super
for all the kids, all the youths and
Wallowa County
people my age because we grew
up knowing who Brandon Novak
is,” Sullivan said. “This is great;
this is wonderful.”
City Administrator Lacey
McQuead said she’d work with
Pickens to put together a formal
request for a permit to submit at
the July 12 council meeting.
In another matter, the council:
• Accepted the resignation of
Councilor Christie Houston, who
submitted a letter saying, “life
is taking me in a diff erent direc-
tion.” McQuead said the city will
now advertise for a replacement to
be considered at the July meeting.
She said she is aware of three or
four people who may be interested.
• Scheduled a meeting for
6 p.m. July 14, to receive public
input on possible action to limit
transient lodging in the city.
• Discussed during a work ses-
sion preceding the regular meeting
plans to hire an additional sew-
age treatment plant operator. Pub-
lic Works Supervisor Ronnie Neil
said it takes eight years for a per-
son to go from having no skills to
become fully qualifi ed as an oper-
ator. The council discussed the
matter as a succession plan.
• The council will hold a budget
hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday, June
21, and it’s next regular meeting
will be at 6 p.m. Monday, July 12.
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