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Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, August 31-September 2, 2005 A-15 The Park Record Viewpoints. THE PARK RECORD WED/THURS/FRI, AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 2, 2005 A-I5 EDITORIAL Ride the road less traveled Cyclists: Quit whining! In a town thai recently hosted championship mountain and road-bike racing and has hundreds of miles of paved and dirt trails for two-wheelers, it's hard to imagine bicyclists and pedestrians complaining about Summit County opening a two-mile stretch of pavement to cars. But they are. Apparently, rural roadways on both sides of the county aren't enough for cyclists who have become used to riding a frontage road along U.S. 40 between Silver Summit and S.R. 248. But the vocal few complaining about opening two miles of road are not helping the plight of more responsible bicyclists who continue to lobby county officials to install bike lanes and improve highway shoulders. A little history: the Utah Department of Transportation paved the frontage road in 2001 to access a nearby parking lot built for the Winter Olympics. Following the Games, the lot was razed and the state turned maintenance of the road over to Summit County. Unsure how Quinn's Junction and Silver Summit would develop, the Summit County Commission immediately barricaded the street after the Games and cyclists and pedestrians have enjoyed a sort of refuge from speeding sports cars and noisy dump trucks ever since. But a lot changed in the past three years. Landowners are pressuring county officials to approve developments in the area and, to avoid a lawsuit, the County Commission recently approved expansion of a light-industrial area for which the frontage road provides prime access. Admittedly, the road was once an ideal staging area for balloonists and glider pilots but recreationists must realize its closure was only temporary. Phones have reportedly been ringing at the county since the street re-opened Aug. 15 but officials remain unapologetic about the move. They already identified the area north of Park City's back door as an appropriate place for industrial development. And soon bicyclists will much prefer days like today - when only a few cars travel the road - to when contractors and handymen move in near Quinn's Junction and begin accessing their businesses from both sides of the street. The Park Record agrees with commissioners that the road closure no longer makes sense. While we often side with cyclists where trails development and open-space preservation are concerned, UDOT pinned responsibility for the U.S. 40 frontage road on the county and business owners should be able to use the road without restrictions. Cyclists can continue to travel the frontage road or the nearby Rail Trail when negotiating the sage brush-lined plain east of Snyderville. Besides, soon truck traffic and industrial development will likely make an eyesore out of what once seemed a refuge. FOR THE LAST TIME MS. GILLMOR, I WILL NOT CALL THE SUMMIT COUNTY C0MMI55I0N AND TELL THEM THAT THEY ARE ALL FIRED! JOHN K\LBOURU/PARK RECORD LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Appreciation for Board of Realtors Editor: Peace House, Inc. would like to sincerely thank the Park City Board of Realtors Philanthropic Foundation for hosting the 2005 Luxury Home Tour at Promontory. So many of you work hard and put in many hours to make this an enjoyable and financial success. Our appreciation to all of you is indescribable. The proceeds from this event allow us to continue our education, outreach and shelter services. Peace House, Inc. feels especially blessed and grateful to be located in such a generous and caring community. Please know that Peace House is very appreciative of the Park City Board of Realtors Philanthropic Foundation, the many sponsors of this evenf arid'the Park City community for all that is done to help sustain the shelter. Thank you! dren and me to travel. The path ended prior to a safe landing at the sidewalk and by the lime the snow flew, the kids were walking in the street negotiating the traffic. Last week before school started, I called the city again to express my concern and hope that it could be improved preferably prior to the first day of school. Kent Cashel called me back and promised he would look at it. After looking at it, he recognized the problem and, with his crew, fixed it the following day. On the first day of school, my kids and I, as well as many from the surrounding neighborhoods, had a clearly marked bike lane that led all the way to the corners, prohibiting vehicles from parking where there is not room for both. Thank you so much, Kent and your crew. We are off to a safer start. Sincerely, Jen McCarthy Park City Jane Patten Healthier lunches The Peace House Staff Park City Thank you to the city crew Editor: Last year I had called the city and local police several times regarding the bike/pedestrian path down Comstock Drive, trying to make it safer for my chil- Editor: I was reading an article in The Park Record because it was an assignment for English. The article was called "Brain Food" and it talked about how foods like salmon and nuts contain fatty acids that produce brain cells, eggs provide clarity of thought, which can help kids make 911 615-5100 615-5350 615-5220 615-5630 615-5210 615-5025 615-5007 615-5075 615-5007 615-5007 615-5055 615-5150 615-5220 615-5300 649-8701 615-5240 615-5400 615-5600 615-5010 Miners Hospital Community Center Parking Parks Administration Parks Reservations Planning Police Dispatch Administration Investigation Records Public Affairs Public Works Administration Racquet Club Recreation Santy Auditorium Snow Removal Streets Water Maintenance Water Billing 615-5150 615-5370 615-5630 615-5630 615-5060 615-5500 615-5505 615-5500 615-5506 615-5200 615-5300 615-5400 615-5400 615-5150 615-5300 615-5300 615-5320 615-5223 For numbers not listed above, call 615-5000 Park Record e-mail addresses Andy Bernhard Nan Chalat-Noaker Valerie Deming Jay Hamburger Patrick Parkinson Jared Whitley Matt James Adia Waldburger Anna Bloom Scott Sine Grayson West Kat James Mike Duffy Matt Gordon Chris Gill Inkarna Black Joe Lair Office Manager/Front Desk allow for us to get enough sleep. I love getting out early but this is unfair to us kids. Mitchell Flnlinson, eighth grade Treasure Mountain International School Thanks to E100 volunteers ab@parkrecord.com editor@parkrecord.com ads@parkrecord.com citynews@parkrecord.com countynews@parkrecord.com education@parkrecord.com arts@parkrecord.com sports@parkrecord.com business@parkrecord.com photo@parkrecord.com photo@parkrecord.com kat@parkrecord.com circulation@parkrecord.com production@parkrecord.com realestate@parkrecord.com classifieds@parkrecord.com Scoreboard @ parkrecord.com holly@parkrecord.com My group and my company are extremely distressed at the reckless closure of the so-called "Death Cave" in Provo. This is a prime example of an uneducated, knee-jerk reaction to unrelated, yet, irresponsible actions. While it is tragic that these people perished, it is in no way, the fault of the cave. It is an example of ignorance and carelessness that resulted in death. The group that accessed the cave had no equipment to be spelunking and I would guess their education of the physics of caves and mines was very limited. Add this info to the fact that they were accessing the site in the wee morning hours would lead even the most average person to deduce that they were acting in a very irresponsible manner, which without doubt, precipitated their deaths. Our main concern however, is the cave itself. Did anyone research the history of that site, how it formed and who used it? What about the petroglyph writings in it? Were all of the artifacts out of it before they sealed it? No, because the closure was an impetuous act that had no real effect on the problem at hand. More people drown each year in Lake Powell than have been killed in mines or caves in the past 23 years. Yet we have not drained the lake. If someone jumps off a building, do they level the building? Anyone who supports this logic should be charged with the destruction of the environment and eradication of history. The plain and simple fact is that these caves and mines are not dangerous if spelunkers are educated and utilize basic common sense. The so-called "closure" of this cave will not stop access; it will just make the site more dangerous. People will still go to see the site and will find a way inside, but the entrance will not be as stable or safe. Many mine sites that have been "reclaimed" in recent years have been reopened by industrious cavers. These "reopened" caves/mines arc now twice as dangerous with openings that have been engi- I had the opportunity to be at the finish line when Tinker Juarez won the race at 10 hours 14 minutes. In an interview with Park City TV, he raved about the wonderful volunteers he encountered on the trail, and gave each and every one of you the highest credit for pulling this off. Tinker is a world-class endurance racer, he's been all over the world to races and is a two-time Olympian. He said, "These volunteers were the best!" I promised a couple of racers I would pass on their comments to you, so here they are: David Harris, overall winner of the Endurance 100 Race Series, wanted to thank everyone for all their hard work and effort, especially those who did such a wonderful job marking the course. Cyndi Schwandt said, "Thank You to the volunteers who stayed with the racers •rnHhe^ircredible^ain^and. hailstorm^ on Stage 3." I heard countless riders and support teams saying, "Thank you." Boris and I agree with every one of these comments. We hope to see each and every one of you again next year. The Park Record Staff GUEST EDITORIAL By COREY T. SHUMAN Draper class setting. Editor: Boris and I would like to extend a huge and heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who made the second annual Endurance 100 a tremendous success! It was your hard work and dedication that made this race series truly a world-class event. I've had the opportunity to help out with many volunteer efforts over the -years: that-have-variec(vin'si^an<i»oufnb«j>' of volunteers, from the thousands of volunteers in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, to as few as 10 with the Make-AWish Foundation of Utah. But I have never worked with such a willing, hardworking and absolutely outstanding group of volunteers as I did with each of you in the Endurance 100. Greg Roth Once again. Park City has shown its Volunteer coordinator El 00 true colors. I have no doubt that this Park City event will become one of the premier endurance races in the world and you, the volunteers, along with Boris, Summit County and Park City made for a world- Senseless closure of 'Death Cave' PARK CITY OFFICES Emergency Building Inspection Bus Information Business Licensing Cemetery Admin. Circuit Court City Attorney City Council City Engineer City Manager City Recorder Community Development Events & Facilities Finance Garage Golf Course Pro Shop Human Resources Leisure Services Library Mayor better decisions and get better grades, and that pineappJes help with memory. There is a world full of brain foods from nuts and berries to oats and sweet potatoes that studies show improve memory, mood and concentration levels, which can make for fewer fights, better students and better grades. But where there are good foods, there are also bad foods called brain-drain foods. Some of these are carbonated drinks, chips, candy, breaded meats, and artificially colored foods. These foods might give you an energy rush but is it worth it if they take the energy from your brain. After I read this article I realized that most of what my school serves are the brain-drain foods. I thought this was supposed to be a nutritional lunch that helps us through the day, not make it harder fo^ us. I just want a good lunch that does'<H'tfim,ak«.me stupideiV"I--want'tocall-thegovernor and complain because I know his number. I mean, this is ridiculous. I want good food that brings my intelligence up so I can get good grades so I can go to college. This is unfair. It also makes me mad at our school because we also need enough sleep to let the information we learn sink in. We don't want to fall asleep during class. I learned in English that we need nine to 12 hours of sleep to let all the information soak in or we'll forget all of it or almost all of it in a period of time. The new school schedule does not neered by amateurs and are not stable at all. The people who engineered these mines did not do so with the intent of crushing their workers. There was extensive engineering and knowledge building these shafts and while some of the man-made supports in the mines have started to deteriorate, there is still an awesome amount of historical knowledge that can be gained from the exploration of these mines. Likewise, caves in the area have been used for hundreds of years by Native Americans, who were respectful and careful when accessing the caves. There are thousand of caves and mines in Utah, many of which are undocumented. In these caves and mines are priceless artifacts ranging from ancient Indian items to relics and leftovers from Utah's earliest miners. I have been exploring and documenting caves and mines all over Utah for over 15 years with NO accidents related to mines or caves. I have not found them to be dangerous or menacing. They are, in fact, a veritable "goldmine" of history and education. In addition, I lead a small group dedicated to the preservation of Utah's ghost towns, mines and caves. I believe that these mines and caves are an invaluable part of Utah's history that is being destroyed due to ignorance. If the current mindset is followed, our children will not be able to enjoy the same history and exploration that we take for granted and valuable historic sites will be lost forever. It would be nice to see the state take a proactive approach to preserving these sites and educating the public about safety when these sites are found. If the current course of action, i.e. closing up any hole that is found, is followed, then surely we will see more senseless deaths in the coming years. If you would like more information on Utah's caves and mines, please visit Gold Rush Expeditions, www.goldrushexpeditions.com, or the Utah Ghost Town and Mine Preservation Group, http://groups. google.com/group/UGTMPG, or you may contact me directly at cshuman@goldrushexpeditions.com. The Park Record welcomes letters to the editor on any subject. We ask that the letters adhere to the following guidelinos:They must Include the address and telephone number of author. No letter will be published under an assumed name. They must not contain llbelous material. Writers are limited to onp letter every 28 days. Letters must not be longer than 300 words (guest editorials, 550 words) and should if possible, be typed. We reserve Ihe right to edit letters if they are too long or if they contain statements wo consider unnecessarily offensive or obscene. In addition, thank you letters are limited to six Individuals, businesses and event sponsors. PUBLISHER Andy Bernhard Editor Nan Chalat-Noaker Staff writers Jay Hamburger Pat Parkinson Jared Whitley Adia Waldburger Matt James Anna Bloom Joe Lair Contributing writers Tom Clyde Teri Orr Jay Meehan Joan Jacobson Silvia Leavitt Linda Jager Editor's assistant Courtney Herzinger Classified advertising Inkama Black Kristi Ruppert Office manager Holly VanDenAmeele Circulation manager Michael Duffy Accounting manager Kate Fischer Advertising director Valerie Deming Advertising sales Wendy Halliday Anne Anderson Cheryn McNicol Teresa Chavez Lacy Brundy Chris Gill Annie Macdonald Lori Gull Editorial production Kat James Photographers Scott Sine Grayson West Production director Matt Gordon Production Scott Schlenker Jason Plawecki Kyle Burress Kim Vance Jon Smedley Becky Larsen Distribution Chris Anderson Todd Kendall Antonio Contreras Cartoonist John Kilbourn Contents of the Vie Park Record'art copyright © 2005, Diversified Suburban Newspapers. All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the managing editor or publisher. Vie Park Record (USPS 378-730) (ISSN 07459483) is published twice weekly by Diversified Suburban Newspapers, 1670 Bonanza Dr., Park City, Utah. Periodicals Postage paid at Park City, Utah. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Vie Park Record, Box 3688, Park City, Utah 84060. Entered as second class matter, May 25,1977 at the post office in Park City, Utah 84060. under the Act of March 3, 1897. Subscription rates are $37 inside Summit County, $70 outside Summit County, Utah. Subscriptions are iransferrable; S5 cancellation fee. Phone (435) 649-9014 or fax (435) 649-4942. Published every Wednesday and Saturday. Home delivery subscriptions in Summit County include delivery of the Sunday edition of The Salt |