On Feb. 25, Parks Project Manager Anthony Biamont unveiled a new 10-year parks plan for South Salt Lake which his department has been working on for the past year to city officials.

“Parks [are] continuing to have a key part in why people choose to live here, stay here and enjoy living in South Salt Lake,” he said.

The plan is the result of an intensive community engagement process launched over a year ago to "figure out what exactly the residents in South Salt Lake wanted to see in their park system," Biamont said. 

A proposed 10-year parks plan could mean most residents would eventually live within a half-mile of a park or other open space. (Courtesy South Salt Lake City)

To help develop the plan, the city utilized an advisory board comprised of residents, community leaders and city staff.

A primary goal of the plan is to transform urban spaces and ensure equal access to parks for all residents by closing what Biamont called "access gaps" ensuring every resident lives within a 10-minute walk (half-mile) of a park or plaza.

Residents have prioritized "nature-based" amenities, Biamont said. “Things like just trees, nature playgrounds, community gardens, lawns, grass [and] places to hammock were the biggest group or category of amenities that people wanted to see,” he said.

However, the feedback also highlighted a strong desire for "social" spaces, including beer gardens, dog parks, food truck plazas, festival streets and outdoor gaming areas.

"It's not just the seniors that like to party,” Biamont joked. “Our residents really like to get together, and that was very evident in what they said they wanted to see most in park amenities."

The plan also looks toward more modern "urban" gathering spots. 

“There was a lot of interest in just places to hang out that are maybe more urban in nature,” Biamont said. “Maybe they have other uses, retail uses [or] other kinds of entertainment going on."

Among the priority projects are new plazas at the water tower—a project already in development—and new public spaces near Central Pointe Station and along the streetcar line west of State Street. The plan also incorporates the Mill Creek Greenway, a long-term regional vision involving the Seven Canyons Trust, WFRC and County Parks.

“There are a lot of people very interested in creating something similar to what we have with Parley’s Trail... but along Mill Creek,” Biamont said.

Other proposed additions to the city’s recreation portfolio include splash pads, a skate park, volleyball courts, art installations and educational interpretive signage. These recommendations form the core of the city's "priority projects" for the next decade.

The plan, which will be presented for formal approval in the coming months, will serve as the city’s administrative guide for decision-making, funding strategies and capital improvements through 2036.

"As we expand and grow and enhance our park system, we have this guiding document to lead us along the way," Biamont said. “When we are going to in the future try to build out new parks and come again before council and before our residents...there will be a better understanding of where we're coming from.”