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Show Utah Park Visitor Facilities Subject of Heated Debate me rut u re of overnight lodging facilities in Zion and Hryce Canyon National Na-tional Parks and Cedar Breaks National Monument Monu-ment is the center of heated debate in southwestern south-western Utah. The State Legislature, the Cedar City Chamber of Com-Jjiercc Com-Jjiercc the Utah Travel Council and various motel mo-tel owners' associations have expressed opposition opposi-tion to the National Park-Service's Park-Service's course of action. ac-tion. This course leads to the phasing out of concessioner con-cessioner operated facilities faci-lities in Zion by the end of 1975 and in Bryce Canyon by the end of 1977. The concessioner operations at Cedar Breaks are already ended , under the 1972 agreement. agree-ment. At conclusion of the 1971 visitor season, the Union Pacific Railroad donated all of the concession con-cession facilities at Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument and the North Him of Grand Canyon to the National Park Service. Ser-vice. Trans World Airlines Air-lines Services, Inc., was the successful bidder to operate these facilities under a new contract. The phase-out of overnight accomodations at Zion, Bryce and Cedar Breaks is a part of the contract with the National Park Service. Arguing for the continuation con-tinuation of the facilities In Zion and Bryce, the Utah Travel Council points out TWA's potential poten-tial for promotion of travel into I'tah. The possibility pos-sibility for development and marketing of package travel arrangements available through the airline air-line is a major feature in most of the arguments favoring modifying the contract between TWA and the National Park Service. The lossof summer sum-mer job opportunities for young people in southwestern south-western I'tah as a result of phasing out of the facilities fac-ilities is a major concern con-cern to Cedar City, headquarters head-quarters of the TWA operation. op-eration. Phillip R. Iversen, Director Di-rector of National Parks in Utah, is surprised at the response to the phase-out phase-out policy. "When the Service advertised the prospectus, in 1972 seeking a new concessioner, conces-sioner, terms of the phase-out were outlined, and absolutely no comments com-ments were expressed from any source regarding regard-ing these plans." Iversen explains that the phase-out phase-out is the result of three basic considerations. These are: "When the lodging facilities were lirst constructed - Zion in 1925 and Bryce in 1927 - this country was remote. There were lew facilities available elsewhere, else-where, and all but a few visitors arrived by train and bus, staying in the facilities in the Parks ivhich were, incidentally, originally provided by the Union Pacific Railroad under an agreement with the National Park Service. Ser-vice. Since the days of passenger service by Union Pacific Railroad, the mode of transportation trans-portation to the Parks has changed dramatically, dramat-ically, resulting in greater great-er mobility for the visitor to move about seeking alternative al-ternative sources of food and lodging. Motels and restaurants have developed de-veloped outside both of the Parks as a result, thus reducing the need for such facilities inside." The second consideration consid-eration leading to the conclusion con-clusion to phase out the facilities is, as Iversen explains it: "Although a few visitors staying in the existing accomodations in these Parks appreciate the charm of their age, the majority who indicate any reaction to their quality complain about the age of the structures and furnishings. We have obviously ob-viously had good operators opera-tors in Utah Parks Company Com-pany and TWA Services, because many who express ex-press disappointment with the age of the facilities fac-ilities hasten to point out that the accomodations cannot be faulted in terms of cleanliness and neatness. neat-ness. We do have to face the fact that these facilities fac-ilities are nearly fifty years old, and that public pub-lic pressure to modernize moder-nize is mounting. The hardest fact of all, in regards re-gards to the age of the facilities, is that if they remain beyond the phase-out phase-out time in our contract with TWA, we will have to replace the existing sanitary san-itary disposal system which at Zion will be to the tune of about one-half million dollars, in order to meet State and EPA water quality standards." Iversen further stated that: "The third, and from the National Park Service's Ser-vice's point of view, the most important reason for the phase-out is to reverse the trend toward urbanization of these Parks. Private enterprise enter-prise has demonstrated the ability and desire to provide the facilities adjacent ad-jacent to Zion and Bryce Canyon Nation Parks. Unfortunately, Un-fortunately, the confusion that has stirred up over the policy has dampened their enthusiasm to get cracking toward building the motel units. Iverson pointed out that Zion National Park exceeded ex-ceeded a million visitors this year for the first time in the Park's 64 year history. The traffic problems and patterns emerging at Zion are identical id-entical to the situation at Yosemite National Park a few years ago. This situation caused the National Park Service to institute a free public transportation system as an alternative to private automobiles in the upper part of Yosemite Valley. The transportation sys-i tern at tosemiie has been! favorably accepted by the oublic in reducing congestion, con-gestion, noise and air pol-ution pol-ution and generally cre-iting cre-iting a better Park en-ironment. en-ironment. With the future lim-tation lim-tation on gas and re-:reational re-:reational driving, a Park transportation system is even more essential. Such a system will be Studied at Zion National Park next, but if overnight over-night facilities remain in operation indefinitely, a transportation system may not be feasible. Some misunderstanding has developed de-veloped to confuse the issue of overnight cabin phase-out with camping facilities. There are no plans to eliminate camping camp-ing from the Parks. "I will be pleased to discuss this subject with anyone, or any group, at their convenience," Iverson commented. |
