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RIVERTON — Residents in Riverton are fuming over the fact they won't have a say in a new city park.
About 50 people gathered at a city council meeting Tuesday evening, pleading for a chance to be heard. They were discouraged by a 4 to 1 vote to go ahead with the current city park plan — which means residents won't have another chance to voice their opinion.
Had things gone the other way, the current plan would have been scrapped and the city would have to start from scratch — allowing for community input. The issue, many residents say, is that their ideas were never taken into consideration.
"I am shocked," said Riverton resident Lorraine Boska. "I am shocked. The people of Riverton didn't even get a chance to vote."
City councilmembers said residents did indeed have a voice. In 2011, four meetings were held discussing park renovations. City manager Lance Blackwood said meetings weren't heavily attended.
"Some of the councilmembers invited people in their district to be part of this, and frankly the response wasn't good," he said. "So it morphed into selecting an architect and having them suggest the best use for the passive park."
According to the city's website, in July 2012 sketches of the proposed park were displayed to the community. In 2013, three more city council meetings were open to public comment.
Some of the councilmembers invited people in their district to be part of this, and frankly the response wasn't good.
–Lance Blackwood, Riverton City manager
Tebeka Melanson — who has spoken out against the park — gathered more than 1,300 signatures in only six days to show the council wasn't properly portraying the opinions of the entire community.
"At the core of it, we want everybody to vote on the $19-million bond and what to do with it," she said.
If the petition passed, it would have forced a citizen vote. But with only one councilman motioning to table, Riverton residents were silenced.
Residents left the meeting distraught and frustrated. If all goes according to the city's plan, the park will open in time for the 2015 Riverton Town Days.
