The preferred concept for the Vernal Community Block Plan was presented on Wednesday evening during a public meeting in the Community Room of the Vernal City building. The presentation reflected major elements that included community preferences based on public feedback over the last year. These possibilities included a visitor center and cafe, stage, terraced lawn, multi-use pavilion, lookout tower, plaza, mixed use retail space, hotel, an adventure play and splash creek area, and other flexible space proposals. Following the presentation, Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion shared that this project will take an estimated 7 years to develop. “It’s not an overnight thing,” explained Bennion. “We have to design. We have to secure funding. City Council has said we are not raising taxes to do this so it has to be in the existing budget…It will take time but we will keep at it and keep working towards development as money becomes available.” They have already submitted 3 grant applications and are working on others to help fund the project.
