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Show r A it Thursday Morning, July 21, u SiTlion s7- - 1980 -- liberty Park Improving With Age By Tom Wharton Tribune Sports Writer IVs Sunday afternoon at Liberty Park and the womber of recreational activities people are pursuing is enough to boggle the mind. There are joggers, roller skaters, tennis players, swimmers, volleyball enthusiasts and frisbee throwers everywhere, all pursuing their favorite form of physical fitness. Waxing Cars Some wax their cars under a shade tree. Others and Some tour ride the merry-go-rouTracy Aviary. Still others picnic. Hundreds of kids enjoy the playground equipment while a group of senior citizens spends hours throwing horseshoes. A softball game is in progress n the middle of the park. And a bicyclist enjoys a quid drive around the park. Yes, on a Sunday afternoon. Liberty Park is an awfully busy place. And, with high gasoline costs L keeping people closer to home, it promises to stay for many years. At the present time, much of the south end of the park is under construction. The park's lake is dry and construction is preceding north of Tracy Aviary. This construction is all being done in an effort to upgrade Liberty Park and make it an even nicer place to visit, according to John Swain, a landscaper and architect for the Salt Lake City Parks and Recreation Department. The construction which has closed Sixth East is in three phases. The phases include development of the lake, a childrens area north of the aviary and the future development of a new outdoor performing center to replace the bandstand. We are reshaping the edge of the lake and taking down the old concrete walls, said Swain. Part of flood control the money is coining from money. The water in the lake should be cleaner than it has been. There wll be two islands again in the lake and that way city-coun- ty J Page ft one will be open to public use. We hope to finish the landscape work around the lake next spring and have it filled earlv in the summer. The other main construction program going on at Liberty Park at the present time is a new area known as The Childrens Garden." This is an attempt to introduce children to the aviary and provide a transition between the park and said Swain. We the aviary environment, are building new playground equipment, new rest rooms and an amphitheater where some bird shows will be presented. In conjunction with this project, we are working on some interior construction at the Ivy Chase Mill. Our long-tergoal there is to get the mill working as a functioning grist mill and include it as a part of the -- ?, . i v - ts - i n 0 I: . . Tribune Half photo by Raven Call Six-year-o- ld Chad Clawson is one of many Salt Lake youths I time enjoying big playground at Liberty Park. who spend Friday, one day only. Splurge! Save substantially on over 200,000 dollars worth of 14 karat gold jewelry from a n maker. Collect finely designed chains imported from Italy: bracelets, charms, charmholders, pierced earrings, even stickpins. More! First come, first choice for JM's extra special features: 15 serpentine chains 1599 and serpentine bracelets 999. Nomail orphoneorders Allsales final. JM Jewelry.ZCMI Center 10:00 A. M. to 9 :00 P.M. well-know- Roller skating has become the newest recreational activities found f many at Liberty Park as Teresa Turner and Ross Benedettl showed on recent Sunday. ut, Watch For uur 19 SIR. ST0R1WS ASONAL I. SAVINGS ARE BASED ON PREVAILING PRICES ih'yepiryy Ct0Sl"UT This Coming Friday & Saturday! J k . h, I ) 7 aviary tour." Third Phase The third phase is the development of a new outdoor performing arts area, but this may be a few years down the read. Right now, were looking at potential sites and reviewing our budget, said Swain. But we may look for funding for the arts center in the future. One of the biggest problems in the new development at Liberty Park for the planners is determining what to do with Sixth East. Planners seem to prefer the permament closure of the road, but a public hearing is planned in the near future to determine local residents feelings on such a closure. If the street was closed, several parking areas would be constructed and a pedestrian mall would replace the present road. Another problem that planners are grappling with is what to do with the traffic and the various kinds of recreation pursuers around the park. On any given evening, joggers, roller skaters and bicyclists compete with automobile drivers for the use of the road. Swain says Tiis department is looking at constructing jogging paths and bicycle paths to separate those park users from the traffic. Recreation Continues Meanwhile, during the construction, the park continues to be crowded. Several tennis courts have recently been resurfaced, the swimming pool is always busy during the hot summer months and the aviary is usually full of families. Many people enjoy the park for many reasons. In all of Salt Lake Valley, you would have a difficult time finding more to do anywhere than you would at Liberty Park. People are staying closer to home and using 'facilities found nearer to their homes," says Swain. We must upgrade our facilities so people can continue to enjoy them. And thats just whats happening at Liberty Park. I rr f IN THE SALT LAKE CITY AREA .. |