| OCR Text |
Show MARCH |e koa =e ee 1995 | ae Nature Midst Our eT Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of American landscape design, recognized the need and value of open space more than 130 years ago, when he initiated his designs for Central Park in New York City. At the time, some people did not understand the need for preserving large piece preserving nature in growing the midst is a hailed thinker, wh 1 precious a reserved tract that has this country’s known — of of of land becon ne most | shrubs and alive with waterfowl and other wildlife. A walk along the completed sections of the riverway is a lovely escape from the city and a wonderful Opportunity to observe birds. Ducks, _ stilts, and other aquatic birds abound along the river, and large cotton- well woods parks charms local | | of What is it about open space preserved in the midst of a city that pride Matheson Pat | he futuristic designer Mary a land piece city Today, is a such of a By livable, to offer our citizens safe places to recreate, and to instill community pride and love of the state’s natural heritage? the and citizens visitor, love and | instills in the entices people to play and recre ate? The obvious answer space IS is that open communal property, and available to many people for a diversity of activities —walking, riding bicycles, bird watching, jogging and picnicking. Less obvious, perhaps, is that open space enables people to get away from the pressures of day-to-day living, the stresses of an urban life. A walk along a river, stroll through < forest or hike in the foothills provides a respite from the city. Studies indicate that people physically unwind in pastoral settings, bodies react positively to a natural setting — Open space is good for us. Open space is a value to any City, and most have incorporated it into planning and development. Some better than others. Well-planned open space, integrated into the city, can be one of the signatures of a city — Golden Gate Park in San Francisco for instance. Not only is the park an attraction to the locals, but many people who visit San Francisco make a special trip to Golden Gate Park. The Park is a treasure to the citizens of the city and a magnet to tourists. Closer to Utah is Boise, Idaho which has the Greenbelt, a 22 mile trail running along the Boise River. The Greenbelt is popular with hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers and visitors. The Greenbelt is recognized as an outstanding achievement for the city of Boise and is considered a model for other communities planning trails and open space projects, So, how does the Wasatch Front stack up against other cities with respect to Open space ? Have we preserved enough open space to make our cities Do our communities have designated open spaces that take advantage of natural features, creating a unique “signature” for the city. And have we preserved enough open space to leave a living legacy for future generations to enjoy? The answer is a mixed “maybe.” There is, of course, always room for improvement. But we do have some very good examples of open space in each of the major communities along the Wasatch Front. Salt Lake City has three very fine parks dedicated as greenspace for recreation and the simple pleasures of the outdoors. Liberty Park offers visitors a diversity of experiences from a visit to the aviary to a paddle boat ride on the lake; Sugarhouse Park, with its rolling open hills and many picnic sites, provides a place for large group activities; and Pioneer Park, offers an open air market in the summer and sense of history. Each park serves a unique niche in the community, and is, in itself, a treasure to the city. Besides the three parks, Salt Lake and Utah counties have another treasure in the undervalued Jordan River Parkway. Why have the communities not rallied behind the development of the parkway and dedication of this greenbelt to open space? Having lived along the northern section of the parkway years ago, I can attest to the beauty of the river and the value of this area. The river is a natural connection between Provo and Salt Lake, bordered with native trees and PAGE including The Jordan a walking River pro- vide needed shade to enjoy a summer afternoon. Utah County is nearing completion of its sections of the Jordan Rede Sve Ves tr Parkway, and biking path. Parktvay Foundation is also working feverishly to complete a major section in the Salt Lake Valley, in time for the state’s centennial celebration in 1996. It is a great challange, but if successful, the Jordan River Parkway will become a continuous greenbelt linking two of the largest cities in the state. This legacy, if completed, will parallel Boise’s Greenbelt as a model of well-planned open space. Salt Lake and its citizens are also actively engaged in the development of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, a proposed greenbelt along the eastern shoreline of the ancient Lake Bonneville. Plans show the trail connecting along the foothills from Bountiful on the north to Utah County on the south. In addition, trails along the stream drainages will connect the shoreline trail with the city’s parks. Though it is an excellent and ambitious plan, it may be too late to secure lands as envisioned in the plan. Foothill developments have already locked up sections where the trail should be connected, forcing the pathway down into neighborhoods and onto city streets. It is difficult to create Open space after the development of a city. Advanced planning is key to the success of many. open space projects. Though it may be late and challenging for our larger cities to preserve open space and greenbelts, we have communities in Summit and Wasatch counties 12 Mary Pat Matheson that could benefit from Salt Lake’s hindsight. Park City and Snyderville Basin are two of the fastest growing communities in our state. Have they adequately planned for open space? Their location, within a mountain setting, does not preclude the need to plan for open space within the community. Certainly, the rail trail is an excellent example of a greenbelt for hiking and biking. What about larger tracts of land dedicated as open space for wildlife, picnicking, nature study and protection of view corridors? The dedication of the Swaner Memorial Park represents a beginning for the protection of open space. But will 600 acres surrounded by residential development be enough? The Summit Land Trust is also working to secure and preserve more open space. It is apparent that some consideration is being given to protection of open space and attempts are being made to preserve the present flavor of the community, with its open meadows and broad vistas of surrounding mountainsides. However, the pressures of development and increasing land values in these communities make the preservation of large tracts of open space a very challenging and difficult process. Grass roots efforts and citizen involvement seem to be key ingredients for success. From Central Park in New York City to Swaner Memorial Park in Park City, you can identify key individuals who pursued the notion of dedicated open space, of communal property preserved for the enjoyment of citizens and visitors. The efforts of these involved citizens and community leaders makes a difference in the “livability” of our communities. I urge citizens to get involved in the democratic process, ask your local government to support more greenspace, and make a difference in the future profile of your community. @ Mary Pat Matheson is the executive director of the Red Butte Garden and Arboretum |
