HUMBOLDT 鈥� Council has committed to matching every dollar raised by a citizen committee in an effort to improve Water Ridge Park, to a maximum of $75,000.
The Water Ridge Park Playground Committee has been working to raise $150,000 to build a playground and a pickleball court at the park. So far, the committee has raised $42,000.
鈥淲e need to push forward and show some appreciation as well for these people who have been working hard to fundraise to [develop] great spaces outdoors for our families and children to play safely and happily,鈥� said Michael Behiel, Humboldt鈥檚 mayor, during the April 26 council meeting. 鈥淚 am personally behind the whole concept and support it.鈥�
The matching program is part of a park enhancement development policy created in 2016 aimed at streamlining the process for cost-sharing park enhancements within the community. It follows the example of Carl Schenn Park鈥檚 redevelopment.
鈥淲e believe this will be an asset to our community as Water Ridge Park is used by the entire community and many surrounding communities,鈥� said Breanna Landry, the president of the committee, in a letter to council formally asking the city to commit to contribute matching funds.
鈥淭he play structure and pickle ball court will be the perfect addition to the space and will help to attract more families and visitors to the area and add value to the city.鈥�
Michael Ulriksen, the city鈥檚 leisure services director, said his recommendation to move forward with the project comes from the success the committee has had in raising money over the past few months.
He told council it wasn鈥檛 in the 2021 city budget because when the committee approached him in November of last year, it was unknown how fundraising would go with the pandemic health restrictions in place. Because it was not in the budget, the money will have to come from reserves.
鈥淎dministration has acknowledged the value of developing a playground at this location, but without community fundraising support, the project was lower down on the list of current priorities,鈥� Ulriksen said in a report to council.
鈥淭he addition of a pickleball court was brought forward by the group and administration feels that this is also an attractive opportunity for the community that should be partnered on.鈥�
The hope is to finish phase one, the pickleball court and lighting, by June 2021. The construction of phase two, the playground, would depend on fundraising but the goal is to have that complete by June 2022 at the latest, if not at the end of summer 2021.
There were also two letters of support for the project from out of town parents, who are visiting the park with their children due to the JCI Spray Park installed on the premises.
鈥淒uring the summer days, we enjoy going to Humboldt's Water Ridge Park. I love bringing my family to this particular park because it is a great place to meet friends, and it is something the whole family can enjoy,鈥� wrote Jenna Hale, a parent from Bruno.
鈥淚 really do believe that the park is missing a play structure. A play structure would complete the park and give kids more to do, which would make the families stay in the park longer and stay in Humboldt longer.鈥�
