BEDFORD -- A skateboard park in Bedford County is no pipe dream.

The Bedford County Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 to award the contract to construct a skate park at the county's public park on Falling Creek Road -- after first voting down a motion to deny the proposal.

Supervisors Steve Arrington and Annie Pollard voted against the skate park.

"I think a skateboard park is nice and I would like to really see that in the private sector," Pollard said. "I do not think it's something the county should entertain."

Pollard, who made the motion to deny the request, cited concerns about maintenance and future costs.

After the skate park is constructed, it will be turned over to the county for ownership and maintenance. The award for the design and construction of the skate park was awarded to Pillar Design Studios of Tempe, Ariz.

Teenage skateboarders and their parents waited close to three hours for their turn before the board Monday evening. The meeting was the culmination of two years of community-driven fundraising led by Brian Hilbish, a skateboarding activist and the father of a competitive skateboarder.

Supporters have raised more than $300,000 to construct the skate park at the county's first public park, located on Falling Creek Road across from the county sheriff's department.

Assistant County Administrator Frank Rogers said the total project will cost about $512,000 and the balance will be raised by private donations.

In other board news:

n The supervisors voted 4-3 to form a broadband authority with the intention of exploring public-private partnerships to expand high-speed Internet access to areas of the county that are underserved or not currently served.

Supervisors Arrington, Roger Cheek and Dale Wheeler voted against the authority.

The seven supervisors will serve as the authority's board.

Arrington voted against it because a sunset clause, or a deadline for the authority to be self-sustaining, was not included.

"I want to support this," he said. "I really do. But if we don't put some date on this to hold it accountable, I can't."

Other board members also expressed concerns about dissolving the authority if it is not successful and questioned if debts incurred by the authority could become the county's liability. County Administrator Kathleen Guzi said the authority's debts would remain the authority's debts if it is dissolved.

The county received a $55,000 grant from the state tobacco commission, and Rogers said the county also will seek federal stimulus funds for the project.

n The board voted 5-2 to amend the county code to expand the dog leash law to county-owned property, which includes the county's parks and schools. Supervisors Gary Lowry and Wheeler voted against the proposal.