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Show Research park planned By Michael Bodell Staff Writer After years of negotiating with the Departments of Defense and Interior the University acquired 59 acres, which was originally part of Fort Douglas. Plans call for the land to be used as a research park and state arboretum. Ralph Mecham, vice president for economic and community development said'the prime motivation for the University in starting a reasearch park was to attract highly technological industries to Utah." Vice President Mecham said the park will benefit the local economy, furnish jobs in fields requiring technical and engineering backgrounds, and keep more of the University's graduates in the state. Vice President Mecham emphasized "the University is not competing with other industrial sites in the state but will attract corporations which would not otherwise come. The University campus already has several corporations on campus including Imperial Co., I.T.E., Kennecott Copper Corporation, and Microdine, all of whom employ University students." The arboretum will be located along the sides of Red Butte Creek. The University is working on an agreement to use Red Butte Canyon as a "research natural area" Vice President Mecham said. "The canyon is a unique area and contains 24 different species of plants that are not located elsewhere." Although the University holds the deed to the land, it will still be sometime until I actual construction will be started. Originally all the land south of Red Butte Creek was going to be kept by the Army for their firing range. But through negotiations with the Department of Defense, Vice President Mecham was able to get this additional acreage on the condition that the University pays for the removal and rebuilding of the firing range to a new location. Also, a number of roads must be staked out, including the proposed Bonneville Scenic Drive, and an interchange on U.S. 40 between Guardsman's Way and Sunnyside Avenue. 1 |
