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The Blue Lake Parks and Recreation Department has announced a recent $402,000 donation, a chunk of which is slated for the city’s unfinished bike and skate park.

The donation, from the Brunson Family Fund, aims to give a hand to public parks in Blue Lake.

“The Brunson family believed deeply in community,” reads a letter from Jan Henry and Ann Lawlor, friends of the family. “They valued safe parks, welcoming public spaces, and opportunities for young people to learn, play, and thrive. Through this generous gift, their legacy will strengthen the places and programs that bring Blue Lake families together.”

Ron and Nancy Brunson. | Image courtesy of the City of Blue Lake.

They propose $150,000 be dedicated to completing the bike and skate park on Taylor Way, $50,000 for improvements at the city’s skating rink and the remaining $202,000 to be placed in an endowment. This endowment is expected to generate about $10,000 a year for the department.

This will be formally considered by the city council next month.

“The donation is a huge blessing for our department. It was very unexpected, and came at a time where I think our bike and skate park project really needs it,” said Emily Wood, director of Blue Lake Parks and Recreation in an interview.

The expansive park was constructed over a few bursts in recent years, but the last city activity at the skate park was in October when it was prepared for winter. The partially built course hasn’t seen action since then, and weeds have grown.

The city council has previously heavily scrutinized the way the project was built. Currently, city staff is working through a corrective action plan approved by the council. Among other goals, it aims to find out if the existing infrastructure is safe. As part of the plan, a topographic drone survey of the park is planned, something volunteers were preparing the site for today.

“We want to make sure [the foundation of the project] is strong before we continue construction, and make sure that people’s fundraising efforts are being used in the best way possible,” said Wood, noting they want to make sure the project has longevity.

So long as no major changes are needed in the existing design, city staff can move forward with the next steps of the corrective plan after this survey, she said.

This includes verifying insurability, a comparison of the built conditions to approved project documents, the development of a plan to complete or remediate the project and signing of memorandums of understandings with partner organizations.

It’s hard to tell how long it will take before construction can continue. But if the council approves these funds for the park, it will likely change the project’s timeline, said Wood.

The donation is enough to finish a mighty portion of the project, including paving, some asphalt slurry seal atop the pavement and a few general amenities like a kiosk, she said. The city is also working to obtain additional grants for the park.

The project, envisioned as a massive all-ages facility for BMXers, mountain bikers, skateboarders, roller skaters, and scooter riders alike, has seen wide support. A large number of volunteers and donors have contributed to its development, particularly through the Redwood Coast Mountain Bike Association, the Humboldt Skatepark Collective and multiple local construction companies.

As for the $50,000 for the skating rink, Wood said “we would love to do the small fixes that make a big difference,” like replacing activity mats and any needed facility maintenance, but the city wants get feedback from the community and council.

Overall, the donation equals roughly the annual budget of the Parks and Recreation Department.

“Ron and Nancy Brunson had spent a large portion of their lives giving back to Blue Lake, and we are beyond fortunate and grateful to have received this donation,” said Wood.

City staff plans to bring the donation for formal acceptance by the City Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting on July 28th.