With a total project cost of $788,000, organizers are needing another $145,000 to finish the first phase of the project, with work scheduled to resume in May or June, depending on the weather. One of the project’s main organizers, Dan Reid, spoke with Town of St. Paul council on Dec. 9 during the last council meeting.
Reid admitted he was hopeful starting construction on the project earlier this year would spur more interest and support for the project. And while a number of businesses and groups have expressed interest in helping out, Reid said he would like to secure funding through a loan, for the time being.
“I see good things coming, but I don’t see it right now,” said Reid. His request before town council on Monday evening was for the municipality to secure a loan for $145,000, to be paid back over a three-year term.
CAO Kim Heyman confirmed that this type of loan is allowed.
Reid said the skatepark committee would continue to fundraise and work on gathering funds, but having a loan in place would make sure all payments are closed up by the spring when the company returns to complete the project.
“There’s still a lot of work for them to do,” said Reid, when speaking about the work New Line Skateparks, the company building the park, has to do in the spring.
When asked about landscaping and parking lot work that will also need to be done, Reid said a handful of local businessed have expressed interest in helping out with that work, and those pieces are not included in the $145,000 loan.
The skatepark committee has offered naming rights of the park to a business or group that contributes at least $100,000 to the project.
Coun. Nathan Taylor said he felt the request for a loan was something that should be discussed during upcoming budget meetings. A motion to send the request to administration to look at was approved by council.
