MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council unanimously voted to allow City Manager Allison Williams to sign a draft agreement on Tuesday between the Moses Lake Rotary Club and the city to move forward with upgrades to the skate park.

The Moses Lake Rotary Club approached the city in September 2019 about the project, as the park is more than 25 years old and constructed with outdated material.

Since, the Rotary Club has raised more than $141,000 with the Paul Lauzier Foundation, Samaritan Healthcare, Wenatchee Valley Medical Group, the Kiwanis-Rotary Golf Tournament, the Rotary Fund-A-Cause Auction, The Rotary Foundation, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Dave and Becky Thomas, GoFundMe donors, Moses Lake Industries, Inland Tarp & Liner, the Moses Lake Health Center and anonymous donors.

This initial funding will go to Phase 1 of 2, said Rotary Club board member Steve Ausere, which will improve the lighting and expand the park. The second phase will upgrade the park’s features from metal to concrete.

Currently, the park doesn’t have its own lighting, but is lit by streetlights. In addition to installing LEDs, Phase 1 will replace a small, grassy section with concrete and more features to skate on, as well as expanding it into the parking lot.

“You can’t skate on grass,” Ausere said.

In the extended portion, the contractor will add a concrete bowl, stairs and more grinding features, he said.

Initial construction is tentatively set for October, he said. The entirety of the upgraded park is being designed, and then the work will be passed off to the city for Phase 2.

There is no set timeline yet for Phase 2, said Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department Director Susan Schwiesow. Once the contract is signed, officials will collect insurance and develop the timeline.

“I’m excited that they did this,” said council member Don Myers. “It’s going to greatly improve the look downtown, and hopefully people show up and use it, and I encourage all the other charities and clubs to do something similar. If you see a need and you want to make the change within the city, go for it, and I greatly support it. I want to say thank you to the Rotary Club.”

Sam Fletcher can be reached via email at sfletcher@columbiabasinherald.com.