Centerville Accepts $40,000 State Grant to Design an All-Wheels Park

Centerville has taken the first step toward a possible all-wheels park, a paved pump-track style facility where kids and adults can ride bikes, scooters, skateboards and rollerblades. At its Aug. 4 meeting, the City Council voted 4-0 to accept a $40,000 planning grant from the State of Utah’s Division of Outdoor Recreation, according to the council’s approved minutes.

What the grant pays for

The money comes through the state’s Outdoor Recreation Planning Assistance (ORPA) program and is limited to design work. Parks and Recreation Director Bruce Cox told the council it would cover a conceptual plan, preliminary engineering and rough cost estimates. The grant does not require the city to put up matching money.

Just as important for residents: accepting the grant does not commit Centerville to building anything. The minutes record that the city is not obligated to construct the facility, set a timeline or spend future dollars by taking the design money.

Cost and location are still open questions

Staff estimated that building a wheels park could cost roughly $300,000 to $1 million, depending on its size and design. Cox pointed to similar parks in Bluffdale and Nibley, with another planned in Farmington, and suggested the design could nod to local history, such as the former Ron’s Phillips 66 service station.

Where it would go has not been decided. During public comment and council discussion, a resident and Mayor Pro Tem Robyn Mecham raised concerns about placing it near Smith/Founders Park and City Hall, which Mecham described as the city’s main passive park and gathering spot. Community Park was suggested as an alternative. Councilmember Gina Hirst noted the city’s RAP tax fund could be a possible future funding source, and City Manager Brant Hanson recommended settling location and design questions in a future work session with the design consultant.

What happens next

• A design consultant is expected to develop the concept plan and cost estimates.
• Location and design are slated for a future council work session, which will be posted on the Utah Public Notice Website.
• Any decision to build would come back to the council separately.

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