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Show I , V'-V . W m jfV r I i 1 Lf It f-v I ! " .... to f' v 1 ..... . , , . L: : . : !ru J i ' ' " GARDEN PARK PROPOSAL Negotiations are continuing for the purchase of prox.-i ty near 1000 East and 500 South, Bountiful, for use by the city as a garden park. The land, owned by Frank Ashdown, is being considered for a "walk-through" park with picnic sites but no recreation facilities. By GARY R. BLODGETT BOUNTIFUL Plans for purchase of land and development develop-ment of a city park on the Frank Ashdown property, 1000 East 500 South, Bountiful, Bounti-ful, was given the green light by the city council last Wednesday night. NEGOTIATIONS between Mayor Elmer W. Barlow and "Mr. Ashdown have been going ; on for the past several months but a tentative agreement appears to be near, according to the mayor. He told the council that Mr. Ashdown had agreed to give the city a six-months' option to purchase the property, with a six months right for renewal of the option if negotiations progress prog-ress satisfactorily. DURING THIS time, the council agreed, the city could apply for a grant from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (BOR). If the BOR grant application appli-cation is approved and if there is money appropriated to the BOR next fiscal year the city could receive up to 50 percent per-cent of the cost of the land and 50 percent of the cost for park development through the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. Recrea-tion. At the present time, however, howev-er, the Reagan Administration is planning to eliminate the BOR from its federal programs. prog-rams. "I KNOW this is the plan of the administration," said Mayor Barlow, "But I also know that a vast .majority of the city mayors through the National Council of Mayors are lobbying for continuance of the BOR and I'm confident that funds will be reinstated next fiscal year." The mayor then explained that if funds are available. Bountiful would have a priority prior-ity because the park being considered con-sidered is one that would conserve con-serve the natural area an "open-space" park with limited li-mited improvements. THE PROPOSED park consists con-sists of about ten acres all of which would be used only for picnicing and nature walks. There would be no athletic fields, pavilion, etc., located throughout the park. The park site is nestled among nearly 300 large trees, many of them pine trees, with a creek (Barton) running through it. Included in a conceptual con-ceptual plan submitted by the Ashdown family would be sunken gardens, a pond with a fountain in the middle, several nature paths, picnic areas, and a large rose garden. TWO PARKING areas are planned at the entrance of the proposed park and restroom facilities would be provided. The Ashdown home could, in the future, be used as a city museum, the mayor said. Only three members, but a quorum, of the council voted for continuance of negotiations negotia-tions and planning with Mr. Aschdown for the city to purchase pur-chase the propsed park site. "THIS IS an opportunity to have a unique park rather than another subdivision in our city and I feel that we have an opportunity that we should not let slip by," said Councilman Council-man Bob Linnell in making the motion to pursue negotiations. |