Project leaders are asking for feedback to possible expansions to Liberty Park in Ogden Valley, the proposed master plan would add a new playground, more soccer fields and more.
Eden resident Alan Wheelwright is one of many who attended the park's open house event Thursday evening to discuss what they would like to see.
“It’s important for me to be part of the process to see how they’ll develop," he said. "My biggest issue is to make sure that they are used."
People in the Ogden Valley area came to an open house, hosted by the Ogden Valley Parks Services Area, filling out comment cards to share their various opinions about what they hope to see.
One particular expansion has been seeing pushback, despite the overwhelming support for it by many in the community including Marshall McGonegal.
“We don’t have skateparks in the Ogden Valley, it’s something that we really want," said McGonegal. "We are a ski town skiing, snowboarding, wakeboarding, but there’s no place for roller sports up here."
While Wheelwright understands the want for a skate park, he believes a facility would primarily be for youth who don't skate nearly as much anymore.
“I have my doubts of whether it will be used or not,” said Wheelwright. “I think skating is great. I grew up in the 80s and 90s and skateboarding was really popular. I don’t know if it really is anymore.”
Mark Ferrin, chairman of the Ogden Valley Parks Services Area, explains that a skatepark would only have seasonal use. “It would probably be very popular up here. It’s just a question of the priorities and the time.”
This is not the first time they have reached out to see what people wanted in their neighborhood park.
“Last year, we sent out a survey to everybody and said, 'what do you want to see in your park?'" said Ferrin. "Rank all of these choices, one to ten, 'how do you want them?' 'When do you want them?'”
