The Ralston Arena parking lot is falling apart faster than it should be. The city recently got a diagnosis of the issue and a bill for how much it's going to cost to fix it.
The arena lot is plagued by cracking concrete, with parts of the curbing also breaking apart.
A study done by engineering firm Schemmer & Associates says multiple problems contributed to the issue that started with a bad chemical reaction in the concrete. The use of de-icing salts and a poor drainage system made the problem worse.
"We're not going to actually put any money into this, we're going to have our public works department patch it up as much as we can to make it work," says Ralston Mayor Don Groesser.
Some of the worst potholes appear to already been filled and over the next two years the city will look to budget the full $230,000 cost it takes to fully repair the issue. Mayor Don Groesser does not think parking lot issues have contributed to the lack of events at the arena.
"Obviously our arena is beautiful and we do want to attract people and we obviously want to make sure everybody is safe and I don't think it's really deterred our arena from doing anything," says Groesser.
Groesser says quickly deteriorating concrete is a problem in other places in town including Mexican restaurant Agave Azteca, which sits close to the arena.
"There's been a lot of cracks, especially right back there you can see there are giant pieces missing from the parking lot over here and it just goes all the way up," says Pablo Medina, employee at Agave Azteca.
Pablo Medina of Agave Azteca says the crumbling arena lot has not affected their business.
"I don't think the parking lot has a lot to do with how people take the arena and the other businesses around,” says Medina.
The city is also hoping to soon make this arena profitable.They hired a consultant group a while backand those results are in. So city officials are now making a plan that they'll release in a few months.
