Riverton planning follow-up meeting to discuss next steps on multi-sport facility

(Riverton, WY) – The City of Riverton is planning a follow-up meeting to discuss next steps for a proposed multi-sport facility in town following the completion of a feasibility study that showed strong community support for the project.

Riverton City Councilmember Rebecca Pierson-Lewis raised the issue during a meeting this week, noting that multiple residents have reached out to her asking about next steps.

“There needs to be follow-through from us on this,” she said. “What are we going to do next? Can we do a work session, (or) a community meeting?”

Mayor Tim Hancock agreed that it “could be good to get some feedback” from community members about the feasibility study results, and City Administrator Kyle Butterfield said he would work with staff to organize a meeting with interested stakeholders.

“I think it’s a great idea to do some follow-up on that,” Butterfield said. “The city did the responsible thing by using a grant, hiring a consultant, and looking at all aspects as it relates to an activity center or a multiport center, (and) you now have the data you need to start making some decisions. …

“It was clear from the community surveys and the stakeholder meetings that this is something that the community desires, and it would be a good fit for the needs of our community.”

Butterfield did encourage the council to consider “the financial implications of a facility like this,” however, recommending that “it would be beneficial to explore as many partners as you can as it relates to fundraising for construction, visioning the design of it, the location of it, and then the ongoing operations.”

Pierson-Lewis said one of the residents who asked her about the project had indicated that she knew “people that would love to take this off the ground,” and Hancock suggested specifically inviting local recreation boards and senior centers to participate in the conversation too.

“One of the things we’ve talked about is having this be something that’s open to all ages,” he recalled. “There’s a lot of different people that I think should be involved.”

For more information, call the City of Riverton at (307) 856-2227.