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Show Commissioners Phillips and Barker toured Sumner School on Monday, May 14, with school board officials and found it in Page 7 Sumner School May Become Park good shape. The school stage and auditorium would be suitable for cultural events, says by Tim Funk Central City residents might well redeem something from the closing of Sumner School. The Salt Lake City Commission has announced plans proposing the school be turned into a cultural center and its grounds incorporated with those of the Central City Community Center and other neighborhood property for the creation of a park. As part of this. Commissioners Jennings Phillips and James Barker, in a letter to the Commission suggested the closing of 3rd East between 6th and 7th South to provide more area for the park. Sumner School was closed Indian Cultural Center Endorsed recently by the Salt Lake City School Board because of declining enrollment and district budget defecit. A park has long been planned for the Central City area but lack of funds has kept it from happening. What comes of the park plans hinges largely on whether or not the Neighborhood Development Program (NDP) which covers nine square blocks including the y Center area, is funded or not. NDP money would be available for park development. Dan Wall, NDP director, says he hopes to know the funding situation by June 1 . Sumner-Communit- , known for its work with the by Tim Funk Indian Establishment of an Indian Cultural Center in Salt Lake City received endorsement from Governor Calvin L. Rampton at a May 7th dinner at the University of Utah. Sponsored by the United Council of Urban Indian Affairs the dinner attracted more than 75 guests including Governor and Mrs. Rampton, community leaders and representatives of the Indian community. In discussing plans for the Cultural Center the Governor expressed his support and said his Walk-i- n Center, the Council aims at promoting Indian cultural awareness and pride for the native American who leaves the reservation and settles in an urban situation. The United Council drew up its charter in April, 1971, and with seed money from the Community Action Program and Model Cities, the Council began formal operations last year. Presently the Council is expanding its operation with assistance from the University Year in Action, a volunteer group manned by student volunteers office would help explore subsidized by the Federal possible funding for it. Saying his office had been government. Student volunteers will spend a year working in somewhat "remiss" regarding urban Indian matters, the special project areas Governor said he would arrange for regular monthly meetings with the United Council as he presently does with Black and Chicano groups. Fred Harden, United Council coordinator said the Center would be a place where Indians could find housing, employment, legal and medical assistance and recreation. More importantly it would be a place for Indians. Harden called upon the Indian leaders in attendance to "blend" their opinions and make the United Council strong. He said the Council was seeking their "moral and physical" support to make the voice of the Indian heard.. Success, he said, would come "when the native American can retain his culture and function comfortably in a different society." "We respect your beliefs," said Harden to the present, "we only ask that you do the same." The United Council has a "ten year talking history." Best non-India- Commissioners Barker, left, and Phillips tour Sumner School with principal Sorenson, center. -- employment, housing, alcoholism, youth, legal aid, public relations and so on - to help the United Council get its program underway. Insolation electric heat. Good for you and your home. a Commissioner Phillips and other parts of the building could be used for offices. There are several options to the plans for using the school, explains Phillips. One would use the grounds just as they are. Another would allow a limited access street to cut through a green park area connecting the community center and the park. A third option (perhaps the most attractive) is to close the street entirely which would require acquisition of certain property in the vicinity. The plan "goes a long way to reconcile the loss of that school," says Commissioner Phillips. He thinks the school board and the city are "working for the same taxpayers" and that it is "only fitting" that the board lease the school "with the understanding anytime the board wanted to build a new school there, it could have it back . . along with any land we have purchased near it." The Salt Lake City Housing Authority, the City Planning and Zoning Commission and Traffic Engineer's office all endorse the plan. Central City residents also favor it according to Phillips. Carpet Cleaning Residential Domestic - - Shags Commercial -- -- Industrial STEAM EXTRACTION METHOD Call "Al" Mark at 266-830- 2 or 484-664after 5:00 p.m. for a cheerful, free estimate. 4 With this ad, 20 DISCOUNT!! Call now to avoid "Spring cleaning" rush! Some Day You Will Probably Heat Electrically -Why Wait? Utah Power & Light Co. |