March 11, 2024 |
Photo – Parks Challenge sign – Courtesy UW Ag & Natural Resources Extension
The University of Wyoming and Carbon County Visitor’s Council are teaming up on a project to encourage people to visit the county’s parks.
University of Wyoming Ag & Natural Resources Extension Educator Abby Perry has come up with a plan to get people excited to visit the 25 parks located across Carbon County.
Speaking at Tuesday’s Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, UW extension educator Perry explained her idea for the Carbon County Parks Challenge to the board.
Perry said she plans to have a sign with details about the local area installed in each park. The UW extension educator said as well as information the signs will contain a Carbon County Parks Challenge insignia. Perry said visitors will be encouraged to take an impression of the medallion.
Perry said after taking rubbings of all 25 park medallions, people will receive a Carbon County Parks Challenge sticker.
Perry said in 2022, she unsuccessfully attempted to obtain grant funding for her parks challenge idea. While waiting for a decision on the grant, Perry said she contacted each town in Carbon County to gauge their interest in participating in the parks challenge. The UW educator said at the time, two municipalities denied her request for unknown reasons.
Perry was unwilling to say which two towns originally opted out of the parks challenge.
Last year, Perry said she once again applied for grant money, but this time, she was successful. The UW educator said she will personally visit all the municipalities in Carbon County to get them on board with her parks challenge this summer. Three towns have already opted into the program, said Perry.
Perry said she will also contact the sign vendors to ensure prices haven’t risen because of inflation.
Commission Chairwoman Sue Jones asked how much money the project will cost. Perry said purchasing the 25 custom signs will be roughly $16,000 in total. The UW educator said towns will be expected to install the signs, but not contribute financially.
Perry said the signs are part one of her plan to draw more visitors to Carbon County’s parks system. In the second year, Perry said she would like to focus on park improvement projects.
Perry said she would also like to paint hopscotch boards on the sidewalks in the parks.
Perry said she expects municipalities to contribute more than labor toward the year two improvements. The extension educator said she would like towns to help cover the cost of the little free libraries and painting supplies.
Perry said she has not yet secured a grant for the second year of her parks improvement project. However, Perry said phase one of the Carbon County Parks Challenge is fully funded.
Carbon County Visitor’s Council, also known as Discover Carbon County Wyoming, Chief Executive Officer Leslie Jefferson said her agency will provide financial assistance to the parks challenge. Jefferson said Perry’s idea fits into the Visitor’s Council’s newly completed Tourism Master Plan.
The board expressed their approval for the Carbon County Parks Challenge. Perry said she will visit each town council to better explain her idea and, hopefully, get all 10 municipalities on board with the parks challenge.
