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Big changes coming for Berthoud’s Pioneer Park

[1]The Parks and Open Space Committee meeting last week opened with a presentation P.J. DiPentino. He introduced Alan Wasson, who will be taking over as the director for the BMX track.

DiPentino came to ask the committee to recommend some level of support from the town for track maintenance. He described the benefits of the track for the town and the number of hours he spent marinating the track. After questioning by Don Zook, DiPentino and Wasson narrowed their request to short term goals of town assistance in the annual track rebuilding and weed control/mowing. The committee then gave their approval to the request to be presented to the Town Board. They also asked DiPentino to submit a more detailed budget.

Town Planner, Tim Katers also briefed the committee on the updating of the Parks, Open Space and Trails (PORT) plan. The 2005 plan had never received final approval of the Town Board and the original proposals was to change the dates to the current time, but Katers found that much more would be needed and is working with the committee to develop a current plan.

The big news of the evening was the plan for Pioneer Park. Berthoud’s grant request for the park was approved by GOCO. According to the rating system used to rank projects, Berthoud nosed out Mesa County by a half point and was the last grant to be approved.

The down will receive $469,030 toward the total project cost of $708,350.30, the remainder of the cost will come from funds the town has set aside for the project.

Mayor Pro-Tem, David Gregg told the committee that this was an example of success by the PORTS committee. He said that when he was on the committee that they had brainstormed all the things they might want in a park. Now, six years later it is finally going to become a reality.

Katers briefed the committee on the amenities the park will provide. The plan includes 45 parking spaces and two handicapped parking spaces . When finished, the park will include two pavilions, playground equipment, a labyrinth, a horseshoe pit, a basketball court, Frisbee golf,  a roller hockey rink with synthetic ice and extensive landscaping.

The timetable that Katers supplied shows construction beginning in June and being completed by September with a Grand Opening Celebration in October.

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