OCR Text |
Show A quarterly publication serving communities on the west side of Salt Lake City . ‘ - : WINTER 2003/04 ¢ ‘ , 2 ~ The Jordan River Parkway: A Convenient City Escape its aiacunding parkway support a host of different wildlife spe- By Chris Watson Cost of inner tube? $10 Cost of canoe rental? $15 Cost of discovering the Jordan River Parkway Trail? Priceless cies. While floating down the river, one might encounter ducks, Accessible and inviting, the. Jordan River Parkway Trail is a meandering ribbon of seren‘ity just minutes from bumper-tobumper traffic that is life in the DIS CHV. © i eee | In addition to being a haven for bikers, runners, roller-bladers, pedestrians and equestrians, the Parkway Trail provides access to the Jordan River, with canoe docks placed at various locations. It is a common sight to see locals using the Parkway for recreation, whether it is a boy and his grandfather fishing comfortably from the bank, a woman throw-| ing a stick into the murky water for her black lab, or two friends migratory birds, muskrats, rac- -coons, beaver, and fish — even an occasional rainbow trout. The trail offers something for everyone. Have a horse? aS are welcome too. Bikers, don’t panic, you shouldn’t ever round a bend in the trail and run headlong. into. a mighty steed; the horse trail, located between 2900 North and 1000 North, is on the opposite side of the river. During winters, when the Salt Lake valley has received heavy snowfall, a few locals have even ventured out on the trail with cross-country skis. The Jordan River Parkway ‘Trail has been a project under construction now for more than thirty years, according to Don Landscape Architect/ ny aft| ernoon raft-eS ~ Davis, _sp.end— ing a sun 2 Project Manager for Salt Lake ing For instance, one afternoon in late August, Julien Puzey and Anton Kolar were rafting~ down the river.. Although Puzey was reportedly knocked into the water by a tree: branch, she said she “had fun and was thinking of doing it again later in the week.” Surprisingly, this urban river and County The Parks major and event Recreation. making the parkway official was the adop‘tion of the Jordan River Parkway study in 1972 done by Salt Lake County Commission. Prior to that, the Army Corp of Engineers channelized the river See Trail page 3 f{ the West Side By Edie Trimmer John ae and a family have lived in their house in Poplar This article is the last in a series of four, examining myths Grove for thirteen years and he and facts about the West Side. the future of his neighborhood. is cautiously optimistic about oe into Hehe in good the J ordan River. “T go fishing a lot in City Creek ~ repair. Maria Canyon. It’s the best kept secret comments on in the city—a pristine area just doors falling off minutes away.” : hinges, fences He likes having one of his in disrepair and He notes that the value of his As I drove through our neighfavorite fishing streams linked to cars parked on home as reported by the County borhoods one afternoon, I saw a west side neighborhood. John _weedy. lawns. Assessor has. steadily increased. homes where residents lavished, She states, wishes, in addition to the City’s John attributes this to his investloved and cared for their homes‘These are. efforts, that the Utah Division of -flowers in well-kept yards and ‘ments in home improvements, young famihomes in good repair or with and community investments in Wildlife Resources would make lies—ages 28greater efforts to create urban evidence of improvements like the neighborhoods such as plant40—and should fisheries in the Jordan River. ings along the Jordan River and siding, new windows and other be doing more Maria Chavez lives in Rose exterior improvements. I knocked recent trimming and removal of to keep their on a few doors of these homes dead trees or overgrown vegeta- Park. In contrast to John, she says homes up.” She bluntly, “The Westside is going tion along the Jordan River trail. to interview four families to see An angel, representing hope, sits atop a feels that the downhill. If things are not taken John made reference to a windowsill at a west side residence. Photo why they invested. such time and brick houses on care of, they have to be thrown by Charlotte Fife-Jepperson energy; to see what hope they recent news article which menher block could” away.” She expresses concerns had for themselves and the neigh- tioned Salt Lake City’s intent to a sea of derelict houses. invest city and federal dollars to” for the many residents in her create a very nice nicienGorhood. borhoods they live in. but worries that her home will be neighborhood who do not keep bring City Creek to the surface Question IV: Are we a comSee Future page 10 one of the few maintained within or are not able to keep their between 500 West and where it munity with a future? |