Drinking Fountain at the Durango Skatepark Will Benefit All
By FINN STOWERS
I believe that Durango has a large community of skateboarders and that community continues to grow. I’ve seen a wide variety of skateboarders when I go to the park every week. Each time, I encounter new people that also skate. I think that one big problem that needs to be addressed about the skatepark is the lack of a public drinking fountain and water bottle refill station. Putting in a fountain would be a great addition to the park and it would enable both skaters and non-skaters to stay healthy and prevent dehydration at the skatepark and for river trail users.
Staying hydrated while exercising is more important than you may think. It is especially important for your body’s health. Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints. Staying hydrated also helps transport nutrients to keep your body healthy and energized. When your body isn’t hydrated it can’t perform at its full potential. Currently, the Durango skatepark doesn’t have any source of clean drinking water near it and everyone is always thirsty and dehydrated. By adding a drinking fountain to the skatepark everyone will be hydrated and healthy, and will be used for years to come.
If this drinking fountain were to be put in at the skatepark there would have to be a few departments in the Durango City Government that would have to help put it in. One group that would have to be contacted in order to put in the fountain would be the Durango Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. The Board’s job is to oversee maintenance, expansion, and use of Durango’s local parks. This would be the first step to adding the drinking fountain to the park.
Another complication when wanting to add a water fountain at the skatepark is plumbing, so that a water line can get to the fountain. The City of Durango’s water utilities department would be responsible for the plumbing part of this project. There would be fees that went along with the plumbing but I think that they would be minor fees.
The overall cost of the drinking fountain also needs to be considered. An outdoor weatherproof drinking fountain usually sells for between four to seven thousand dollars, depending on size and the number of drinking spouts that it has. The fees of the plumbing and setting up the fountain are undetermined, but I believe that they would be minimal. The question that still needs to be answered is how the fountain and labor would be paid for? The answer is found through an already existing fund on the gofundme website titled “Water Fountain 4 Durango Skatepark”.
A local woman named Karen Rowan, has addressed this issue in the past and wants to try and raise money to put in a drinking fountain and shade sails at the Durango skate park. The overall goal is to reach seven thousand dollars, and supporters have already raised almost six thousand dollars for the fountain and shade sails. The drinking fountain and shade sails would be put in just after the goal of seven thousand dollars was reached. By raising just a thousand dollars more, we can add these features to help improve the skate park tremendously and make our skating community more satisfied, healthy, and hydrated. If you would like contribute to the fund, click here.
"Durango, CO - Schneider Park." COSkate.com -. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.
By FINN STOWERS
I believe that Durango has a large community of skateboarders and that community continues to grow. I’ve seen a wide variety of skateboarders when I go to the park every week. Each time, I encounter new people that also skate. I think that one big problem that needs to be addressed about the skatepark is the lack of a public drinking fountain and water bottle refill station. Putting in a fountain would be a great addition to the park and it would enable both skaters and non-skaters to stay healthy and prevent dehydration at the skatepark and for river trail users.
Staying hydrated while exercising is more important than you may think. It is especially important for your body’s health. Water regulates your body temperature and lubricates your joints. Staying hydrated also helps transport nutrients to keep your body healthy and energized. When your body isn’t hydrated it can’t perform at its full potential. Currently, the Durango skatepark doesn’t have any source of clean drinking water near it and everyone is always thirsty and dehydrated. By adding a drinking fountain to the skatepark everyone will be hydrated and healthy, and will be used for years to come.
If this drinking fountain were to be put in at the skatepark there would have to be a few departments in the Durango City Government that would have to help put it in. One group that would have to be contacted in order to put in the fountain would be the Durango Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. The Board’s job is to oversee maintenance, expansion, and use of Durango’s local parks. This would be the first step to adding the drinking fountain to the park.
Another complication when wanting to add a water fountain at the skatepark is plumbing, so that a water line can get to the fountain. The City of Durango’s water utilities department would be responsible for the plumbing part of this project. There would be fees that went along with the plumbing but I think that they would be minor fees.
The overall cost of the drinking fountain also needs to be considered. An outdoor weatherproof drinking fountain usually sells for between four to seven thousand dollars, depending on size and the number of drinking spouts that it has. The fees of the plumbing and setting up the fountain are undetermined, but I believe that they would be minimal. The question that still needs to be answered is how the fountain and labor would be paid for? The answer is found through an already existing fund on the gofundme website titled “Water Fountain 4 Durango Skatepark”.
A local woman named Karen Rowan, has addressed this issue in the past and wants to try and raise money to put in a drinking fountain and shade sails at the Durango skate park. The overall goal is to reach seven thousand dollars, and supporters have already raised almost six thousand dollars for the fountain and shade sails. The drinking fountain and shade sails would be put in just after the goal of seven thousand dollars was reached. By raising just a thousand dollars more, we can add these features to help improve the skate park tremendously and make our skating community more satisfied, healthy, and hydrated. If you would like contribute to the fund, click here.
"Durango, CO - Schneider Park." COSkate.com -. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.