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Show WASATCH MOUNTAIN TIMES this is the place PARK CITY REPORT by John Helton C’mon Can Little Park City Play Host to Thousands During raised in the proper enviroment avd reSponsib|e s much or more than Salt Lake City, the small but booming town of Park City may be the central focus of the 2002 Winter Olympics, with about a dozen events scheduled for the area. Park City will play host to alpine skiing slaloms and giant slaloms and freestyle skiing. The Winter Sports Park, five miles north of town, will host ski jumping, bobsled, luge and freestyle aerials. In addition, Park City is the quintessential, picturesque mountain village locale, which undoubtedly will draw a lot of Olympic visitors, whether or not they plan to attend skiing events. But Park City is already booming. In addition to a growing summer season, Park City boasts a very strong ski season, which regularly includes bumper-to-bumper traffic, as well as packed restaurants and bars — say nothing of lodging. Hunt Raises Tom Skeele, director, Predator Project, Bozeman, Montana. The Division of Wildlife Resources “is supposed to be managing wildlife on a biological basis... But the word ‘resource’ is a dead giveaway as to their philosophy. They are misrepresenting what their real purpose is,” he said in a telephone interview. Hunting of cougars is directed too much by livestock interests, who think killing more lions will make flocks safer and hunters, who believe cougars thin deer herds too much, diminishing their chances of a successful deer hunt, Skeele Skeele Councilman Lou Hudson. The value of the Olympic Games will be wellworth the impacts, he says. “The Olympics are going to be good for Park City because it sets the stage for the next century and will secure this area as a ski destina- The onslaught the Games will bring can be managed, the former NBA basketball star contends. ‘Its going to take plenty of work by plenty of people to make this flow. But we have plenty of time to plan and we are going to do whatever it takes to make this hap- tion. pen.” Not to worry, says Park City statewide referendum in 1990 to end cougar hunting. Mountain lion hunting is done is a “scientific vacuum” says Mark Palmer, the director of the Mountain Lion Foundation in Sacramento. ‘If you talk with hunters about Big Horn Sheep or deer, there is a certain respect for the species. But with mountain lions, you get a different view . . . Most want to hunt mountain lions, because they eat contended. “Current management of wildlife is based on ‘good’ wildlife, versus ‘bad’ wildlife,” Skeele said. “Coyotes and cougars are bad wildlife because we see them as our competitors. But we have to get past this notion of good and bad wildlife and recognize the inherent right of these animals to exist.” The citizens of California have recognized that right and voted in a Hudson, .whose term expires at the end of this year, says he will run for re-election, so he can be among those who plan for the 2002 Games and the growth that will occur between now and then. The Olympics, Hudson believes will continue to spur growth not only in Park City but in Summit County as well. Automobile traffic and a lack of parking are proving to be problems in Park City during the summer season, as well as the ski season. But Hudson says it’s too early to have solved the transportation problems. It does seem clear, however, that a mass transit system will be necessary to bring visitors to the Park from Salt Lake City City or masquerading as sport Junction. Park City has hosted large winter and has summer events successfully. It become an annual stop on the World Cup ski circuit and its yearly Art Festival attracts upwards of 100,000 people during the first weekend in August. But the Winter Olympics may be as crowded as Art Festival for all of the 16-day 2002 Games. Although the Games there isn’t Hudson said. are any 6 1/2 time years to And in Utah, mountain * Mediation lions have been found at the Salt Lake City International airport, a shopping mall on the west side of Salt Lake Valley and even in a Bountiful neighborhood. Such instances add to the pressure on the Utah Wildlife Board to keep mits, board explained. “So although you are knocking the heck out of the cougar population with all these permits, you have these sightings and anecdotal information that we are being overrun by All the involved areas have to begin to develop strategies,” he said @ them,” * Training /¥ Real Estate Y Construction Y Environmental / Governmental Y¥ Development /Y Partnerships /¥ Employment /Y Family business P. F. Sincock & Co. Tee Williams said. @ PAGE * Arbitration ° Facilitation 1776 Park Ave. #4 © Box 770-254 Park City, Utah 84060 17 He lost, “The planning has to start now. We've resolved hundreds of personal, business, professional and community disputes .. . plus provided training in conflict management skills. Let’s explore how we can help you. increasing cougar hunting perthe former chairwoman of the away, be { DISPUTE RESOLUTION SERVICES hunting,” Palmer said in a telephone interview. Since 1972, California’s population has doubled. And many of the new housing projects are displacing cougar habitat, Palmer explained. area Kimball deer . . . It’s really predator control, added. “The Wildlife Board is crossing the ethical line there,” Skeele said. Elk and deer are seen differently by hunters and wildlife administrators than species that interfere with livestock, Johyva5 Questions Continued from page 16 same program, then what we have there is a conflict of interest,” said their if ItS 40 grow up to be @ mature 2002 Olympics? Lion now.... Shoo! this baby is geing to have to be |
