Renaming Pickett Park

For over a decade, as a park in memory of Staff Sergeant Tyler Pickett has been discussed, planned and a seemingly far-off dream, it has gone through many names. During that time, it has often been called Tyler Pickett Park.

That has changed following the December 21 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council.

Councilmember Ben Spaulding, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, has been the council representative on a steering committee formed by Spaulding and American Legion Vice Commander Joe Parsons to see the park through to completion. Among others serving on the committee is former Saratoga/Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Stacy Crimmins.

“Stacy Crimmins is on our Tyler Pickett Park committee and the past week we’ve had some correspondence back and forth. Stacy’s been in touch with Tyler’s mom and they’ve been going over some stuff,” said Spaulding. “One of the things Sheri (Peterson) had brought up with the Tyler Pickett park was requesting a name change for it.”

According to Spaulding, Peterson requested the park be renamed to not only honor her son, Pickett, but all service members and first responders.

“In the email that we’ve had conversation back and forth with, Tyler has always been somebody that wants to see others recognized more than he does,” Spaulding said. “I think, for one, that speaks volumes of who he is and I think for the fact that he could still have a presence here but still honor everyone else that is out there that has sacrificed through their commitment towards their country, their community and so forth. I think that’s very admirable of him and their family to think of that.”

The name requested by Peterson was Never Forget Park in Memory of Staff Sergeant Tyler Pickett.

The governing body voted unanimously to accept the name change for the memorial park.

In other business regarding the memorial park, Mayor Creed James discussed a potential land swap with the Saratoga Hot Springs Resort for a strip of land between the proposed park and Arrowhead Drive. According to James, discussions with owner Michael Janssen appeared to indicate he was willing to work with the Town of Saratoga.

James informed the council Saratoga Hot Springs Resort has property around Myrtle Avenue and South Veterans Street. The property borders a strip of land owned by the Town of Saratoga between the two roads and the property owned by Janssen. Though the Carbon County Geographic Information System mapping gives a general idea of where property is located, it does not give exact dimensions. The mayor stated Janssen had proposed having the Town of Saratoga property near the two roads surveyed to determine its exact size.

“He said he’d be willing to split the cost of the survey with us on that. I’ve reached out to Engineering Associates to see if I could get an idea of a bid of what it would cost to survey that. They sent me an email that they were estimated it would cost between $1,500 and $2,000,” said James. “Their proposal was the cost would not exceed $2,500.”

James stated he had reached out to another company, Steil Surveying Services of Cheyenne, who estimated the survey would cost between $2,500 and $2,700.

“I’d ask the council to consider approving this, getting a survey of that piece of ground we have between Veterans and Myrtle,” said James.

As the council discussed the potential survey, Councilmember Ron Hutchins raised the question if the exact size of Never Forget Park could be surveyed. It was pointed out by both James and Councilmember Jon Nelson that if a land swap were to occur, it would be better to wait until then. Nelson added a survey of that property would be the task of WLC, the engineering firm currently overseeing the project.

Councilmember D’Ron Campbell raised her own concerns, citing the appraisal of Town of Saratoga property in November 2019. Nelson was quick to point out that appraisal had been conducted with limited council knowledge while discussion of the survey was taking place in an open meeting. The final concern was whether or not there was money in the budget to pay for the survey, which James pointed out could be absorbed by the planning and zoning department.

A motion to survey Town of Saratoga property at Myrtle Avenue and South Veterans Street passed unanimously.

The next meeting of the Saratoga Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on January 4, 2022 at Saratoga Town Hall.