WAMSUTTER - Teenager Jerad Leisch races his scooter down the first green and bright-yellow skateboard ramp Wednesday afternoon and then hits the half-pipe in the middle of the park.

He twirls for his friends as he goes airborne, lands and then jumps his scooter to the top railing of the last ramp. Like the other kids boarding at Wamsutter's newest skateboard park, he repeats the ride over and over and over again.

"It's not too bad … maybe a little crowded, but it beats the street," the 17-year-old resident says about the newly constructed park, which was dedicated Wednesday as part of a community celebration.

The tiny town that for most of its history has been just a stop along Interstate 80 is thriving these days, in ways community residents couldn't imagine decades ago.

A crowd of more than 200 people from all over the state spent Wednesday celebrating the town's remarkable growth and success in coping with the energy boom, which has helped revive this tiny town tucked into the corner of southwest Wyoming's scenic Red Desert.

"The important thing is to recognize what has transpired here … some really amazing progress has been made and the community can be really proud of itself," Gov. Dave Freudenthal said to a packed assembly. "You're getting it done and it's been a remarkable story when you think about how far you've come just since 2002.

"This celebration is really about the celebration of the human spirit … the certain indomitable kind of human spirit that says the people do have the will to build the community it wants."

The celebration documented Wamsutter's all-encompassing approach in recent years to its development. The town - which bills itself as the "Gateway to the Red Desert" - is located about 35 miles west of Rawlins in eastern Sweetwater County.

A lot of the work included the establishment of community priorities, attracting public/private funding partnerships, the hiring a community development coordinator, meeting housing challenges, and building town amenities such as the skateboard park and a new child care center.

"Our work to make this a sustainable community is not over," said Mayor Ken Waldner. "It will require strengthening existing private and public partnerships and building new ones. But we want to celebrate the goals we've accomplished and the goals to be accomplished. We need to look back a bit in order to go forward."

Waldner said underlying the town's successful growth is a strong funding partnership with BP Exploration and Production Co., Sweetwater County, the state and the University of Wyoming.

Since 2005 - when the town began implementing a strategic development plan two years in the making - Wamsutter has received more than $3 million in matching grants from the state and $500,000 from Sweetwater County.

Waldner said BP has helped fund much-needed and sometimes expensive infrastructure projects, including water and sewer line upgrades, a new water stripping tower, road maintenance and other improvements.

The company also funded the child care center, which highlights the town's effort to develop and landscape the downtown area.

The town's coffers became a bit richer Wednesday after BP Wamsutter operations manager Jerry Austin presented it with a $500,000 gift and a $1 million endowment to help fund a community sustainability efforts and to pay for future operations of the day care center.

Honoring past leaders

Freudenthal, State Auditor Rita Meyer and energy industry, local, county and Wamsutter officials participated in an afternoon workshop titled "Building the Wamsutter We Want." Officials discussed the key milestones in what speakers called the town's "transition to a more permanent community."

Community development director Lisa Colson said the Utah-based consulting firm Bear West, Inc. is working on an update of its 2002 priority list study, which should provide statistical support for new priorities.

She said Wamsutter's immediate priorities include the development of more permanent housing and the need for a grocery store. Residents drive to Rawlins or Rock Springs for groceries. Wamsutter has no banks, but does have several ATM machines.

The town has applied for a $1.3 million state grant to help lure a grocery store and other retail businesses to the community.

The Wyoming Business Council grant would be used to construct a 9,000 square-foot building to house the grocery store, a bank and other retail outlets.

"We need both as fast as we can, but housing is the top priority … without housing, who will be shopping at the grocery store?" Colson said. "We need to fill those two big needs so we can forge ahead."

Three former mayors were also recognized during the event for their involvement and leadership over the years.

The mayors included Bob Ferguson, who led efforts to construct the overpass to the industrial park; Bill Hippe, who spearheaded the initial development of the town's priority list; and Rich Freudenberg, the Desert School principal, who focused on children's needs and helped create much-needed after-school programs.

Officials said a stone plaque will be placed at the Skateboard Park to honor the former mayors' dedication and commitment the town.

Contact Southwest Wyoming bureau reporter Jeff Gearino at (307) 875-5359 or gearino@tribcsp.com