The Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) heard an update from the Veterans Memorial Park (VMP) Board of Directors at its July 11 work session, featuring progress on the park and a request for funding to construct a pavilion.
VMP board members Karin Daniels and Eric Davidson presented to the BoCC on the park, with Daniels opening by thanking the BoCC for its ongoing support for the park.
“It just has turned into such a fantastic area and park and venue and everything, so we’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished, but so grateful because of your help and support,” Daniels said.
She outlined projects completed in the park in the last year, including the installation of sidewalks around the parking lot, the creation of two concrete pads for picnic tables and a bike rack, continued park and trail maintenance done by volunteers and the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association, the installation of a trash can and dog manure bags from the county, and the permanent installation of an Iwo Jima sculpture in the center island of the parking lot.
She stated that the sidewalks help extend the seasons in which the park can be used and suggested that the park could benefit from having another trash can.
Daniels explained that the park has hosted “half a dozen” “fantastic” memorial services for local veterans in cooperation with Veterans for Veterans of Archuleta County.
She then covered upcoming projects, explaining that the VMP plans to expand the brick display that memorializes local veterans and place a decommissioned mortar donated by a local veteran as a display in the park.
Daniels then brought up another planned project at the park, which is the installation of a pavilion or gazebo over the picnic tables at the park.
She explained that the picnic tables are “pretty exposed,” with minimal shade, and that the group has heard multiple requests for a shade covering at the location.
Commissioner Ronnie Maez proposed that the park should work to expand the concrete slab on which the gazebo would be located and to place a larger gazebo to ensure there is enough space for event attendees.
Commissioner Warren Brown asked if the pad could be expanded, which Daniels and Davidson confirmed.
Daniels commented that she would like to pursue a similar approach for the gazebo project as that used to build the park sidewalks, with the VMP planning and managing the project and the funds coming from county Conservation Trust Fund monies.
However, she stated that she would want to know if the county sees this project as viable and would be interested in supporting it before moving forward.
Brown asked if the group has an estimate for how much the gazebo would cost.
The VMP does not, Daniels stated, adding that the group “held off” to get the opinion of the BoCC first.
Maez reiterated his proposal that the VMP board look into creating a large concrete slab and gazebo, adding that he would like to see a cost estimate on this.
Daniels stated that this can be done easily, but that the board wanted to get opinions from the board first.
Brown commented that a gazebo would help expand the number of users for the park by providing shade.
Daniels added that the shade would also be valuable for the range of events occurring at the park.
She stated that, given the response from the commissioners, the board would move forward with researching costs for the pad expansion and a gazebo, which it would provide to the county.
Brown indicated that the board could bring these estimates back to a BoCC work session.
He also noted that the monies from the Conservation Trust Fund are from the state lottery and are earmarked for parks and trails.
Next, Daniels discussed overnight parking at the park, noting that there have been incidents of individuals parking overnight or for long periods at the park.
She added that the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office has helped address these issues and recommended the installation of signs indicating that no overnight parking is allowed and stipulating that park hours are from dawn to dusk.
Interim County Manager Jack Harper stated that he would work with the VMP to do this.
Daniels noted the “previous administration” at the county stated that the county had a bike rack that could be installed at the park and asked if current county leadership knows where this bike rack is.
Brown and Commissioner Veronica Medina both commented that they remembered previous discussions about a bike rack, and Harper stated that he would look into the issue.
Daniels ended her update by thanking the BoCC for its support and highlighting the continuing usage of the park.
“I think the VMP’s been very proactive and very responsible with any monies that the county has put towards this to make it a community project and available for, especially, folks towards that end of town because there’s not many that are accessible uptown,” Brown said. “Good job.”
Daniels commented that the VMP board is happy to keep working on adding items to the park and Maez thanked the board for its “volunteerism” and work.
josh@pagosasun.com
