by Liberty Best
lbest@cherryroad.com

The downtown revitalization plans have been underway and moving forward, with the next phase getting a boost with funding from the T-Mobile Hometown Grant.

Trevor McHaley, T-Mobile representative, presented Vernal City with a $45,000 check on Sept. 12 to help with the next portion of the downtown revitalization.

“We have been diligently looking at other funding sources,” City Manager, Quinn Bennion said. “The city budget won’t fund all of it. The work on Vernal Avenue is three quarters funded from UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation) and one quarter funded locally.”

Bennion said they have applied for the T-Mobile grant multiple years in a row and this year finally was able to receive the funding.

The funding will go toward a “public gathering” area, located at 100 E and (roughly) 74 S, that will have a large shade for people to be able to gather, have events and picnic under.

This shade will be provided by a large metal structure that will be 65 feet long, 24 feet wide and 10-12 feet tall, shaped in a way to maintain a dinosaur theme. The spine will be curved metal and the ribs will be made to canopy out, creating shaded areas, according to Bennion.

“It will be one of a kind and go with our great dino heritage,” Bennion said.

This structure will be completed by next May.

The rest of the block will look like a “copy and paste” from the Zion’s block remodel.