Show STATE PARK COMMISSION SEEKS SEEMS FOR BROADER PARK PACK EFFORT IN NEW BIENNIUM While H. H the recreation industry 1 is fa the third largest in the nation nation nation na na- na- na tion in terms of dollar volume Utah has just begun to realize its potential says Harold P. P Fabian chairman Utah State Park and Recreation comm commis- commis 8 lion ion Our state park system is already already already al al- al- al ready proving a magnet and such uch parks as Wasatch Mountain Mountain Moun Moun- tain thin and Dead Horse Point will become greater attractions as time goes on he added Spending Spending Spend Spend- ing for the vacation industry and allied segments of the travel travel industry totalled billion 22 last year he pointed out Tourism Brought million of spending spending spending spend spend- ing in Utah almost equal to the gross revenues of the agricultural agricultural agricultural agri agri- cultural industry Mr Fabian estimated l Develop Tourist Magnets We are realizing less of the national tourist dollar volume than we should he said We have a tremendous undeveloped potential in such assets as our state parks We have water recreation recreation recreation rec rec- areas forested mountain mountain mountain moun moun- tain parks canyon parks historic historic historic his his- buildings and monuments that should be developed as major major major ma ma- jor tourist magnets Dollars invested invested in invested in- in vested in parklands as tourist inducements would provide provid returns returns returns re re- re- re turns to entire communities he held STATE PARKS A ATTRACT 00 VISITORS Pioneer Monument Vernal Museum Top List Visits to Utah's state park areas totalled over the past three years the State Park and Recreation Commission Commission Commission Commis Commis- sion has announced in its annual annual annual an an- nual report Pioneer Monument State Park in Salt Lake City better known as This Is The Place Monument continued as the top attraction with visitors counted while the Natural Natural Natural Nat Nat- ural History State Park at Vernal Vernal Vernal Ver Ver- nal registered visits The Vernal Museum with its dinosaurs dinosaurs dinosaurs dino dino- saurs and geological displays serves as an port entry for many tourists on busy US U.S. Highway 40 park officials re re- ported Museums monuments and historic buildings such as the Brigham Young Winter Home at St. St George Old State Capitol at Fillmore Stagecoach Inn at Fairfield and the Jacob Hamblin Hamblin Hamblin Hamb- Hamb lin Home at Santa Clara proved increasingly attractive to tour tour- However the visitor report also shows a heavy use of natural natural natural na tural parklands plus a great gain in use of boating parks D Dead ad Horse Point Climbs A total of visitors were registered at Dead Horse Point State Park with use showing a steady climb despite road lems Twenty thousand two hundred four forty-four persons visited visited visited visit visit- ed Dead Horse Point in the first ten months of 1964 compared compared compared com com- pared to a total of for all of 1963 while 1962 visits were set at Eight developed water areas or boating parks supervised by bythe bythe bythe the State Park Commissions Commission's Boating Division have attracted fishermen and water sports enthusiasts The ten month use in 1964 totaled while in 1963 the water areas attracted visitors and just were reported in 1962 Boating Areas Added Boating areas include Bear Lake at which a new marina was opened in 1964 as well as the state operation at Reservoir first unit of the new Central Utah project Another park area showing a significant visitor gain was the Dixie State Park near St St. StGeorge George where total visits for 64 1962 were The overall total of park visitors visitors visitors vis vis- during 64 63 included persons estimated at eight undeveloped unsupervised unsupervised state areas at which park rangers can make no accurate tally These include sections of the Wasatch Mountain State Park now accessible to the public public public pub pub- lic and such spots as Newspaper Newspaper News- News paper Rock Coral Pink Sand Dunes unes Goblin Valley and Kod- Kod chrome Basin While H. H the recreation 1 Utah Tourist Ind Crea I Industry Has Great Potential u many VInny Many Industries industries Benefit Utah State Park and Recreation ration Commission reports show tourist industry benefits come directly in the form fonn of dollars and jobs fobs at gas stations motels hunting lodges sporting goods stores ski lifts and transportation tion lines Indirect benefits result re- re result result re re- sult when tourists plus the men and women who work at lodges motels lifts and sports shops purchase such items as food gasoline drugs and sundries A further benefit comes when fuel sales and liquor taxes paid by both gr groups ups help support such state agencies as schools highways hospitals and local loca government Utah's State Park and Recreation Commission will submit a budget request for 1967 1965 in a broadened effort to meet recreation pressures it was announced today Such a thoughtful investment in an expanded state park program can be of major importance to Utah the Commission report said adding that state out visitors attracted by outstanding outstanding outstanding out out- standing parks will bring fresh dollars to many communities Funds from the new Federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation can be obtained on a matching basis to meet some of Utah's recreation growth needs the report stressed State Falling Behind While Utah has such advantages as a crossroads location lakes mountains canyons and climate to make it a major year- year round vacationland the state will fall further and further behind behind be be- hind in inthe the state multi-state competition for dollars unless fullest development of parklands is hastened the Commission statement declared E Expenditures from July 1 1959 to June 30 30 1965 for purchase of ot parklands will have totalled with the major portion of the sum going for Wasatch Mountain State Park Just was spent for structures parking areas areas picnic fireplaces boating boating boat boat- ing facilities sanitary facilities and other developments in five years the noted Bating Funds Cited Of or this sum was spent for boating areas since by law lawall all aU funds accrued from boating fees fes licenses and gasoline tax tax reba rebates must be spent solely on water recreation areas Wasatch Park ParkIs Is Major Project Acquisition and development work at Wasatch Mountain State Park continues to have number one priority according according accord accord- ing to the Utah State Park and Recreation Commissions Commission's annual report This areas area's lo location location location lo- lo cation near Utah's major population population population lation centers its intrinsic beauty beauty beauty beau beau- ty and utility as a year-round year recreation site at a location accessible to the nations nation's tourists tourists tourists tour tour- were cited by the report as reasons for pressing forward rapidly with the Wasatch pro pro- gram Hold Acres At present resent the Park Department Department Department Depart Depart- ment holds olds title to nearly acres of land purchased purchase in the past three years Every effort was made to speed acquisition due to rising values and the need for adequate acreage in a region of mounting population pressures said the report Federal matching funds of under the accelerated Public Works Program have been used for water development Another in funds which could not be matched due to lack of park funds was very kindly matched by the State Highway Commission the report report report re re- re- re port noted As a result eleven additional miles of a basic road system was begun Fund Made Available A fund was made available in 1963 and was again matched by the Highway Commission resulting in 29 miles of park road in the Decker Deck Deck- er Snake Creek and Deer Creek areas The Park Commission portion of the original fund was used to develop a 17 unit picnic area with ad adequate ate piped water in lower er Deer Creek Canyon Expenditures for park development development devel other than boating areas areat totalled Total visits visita to all state parks for the 1962 19 1964 4 period were The State Park Commission has a acquired 29 park areas through purchase or g gift t since the State Park System was established es es- established in 1957 Major developments developments developments de de- were reported completed completed com com- or well under way in 21 of these areas Since the inception inception tion of the State Parks Park's Boating Division in 1959 ten water recreation recreation rec rec- recreation areas have been acquired acquired acquired ac ac- ac- ac with launching ramps marinas and facilities more than doubling their use Matching Funds A Available Pointing to the Federal Bureau Bureau Bureau Bur Bur- eau of Outdoor Recreation Land and Water Conservation Fund established during the past Congressional Congressional Congressional Con Con- gressional session the State Park and Recreation Commission Commission Commission Commis Commis- sion expressed hope Utah will join other seeing far-seeing states in speedily availing itself of these matching funds Most other states have well- well developed plans to utilize such funds while seventeen states have voted bond issues illustrating illustrating illustrating illus their willingness to foster foster foster fos fos- ter recreational development at atthe atthe atthe the price of indebtedness the report added As a result Utah has reached a crossroads in in the field of recreation The recreation recreation recreation industry is the third largest largest larg larg- est in the nation and benefits each citizen directly or indi indi- indirectly indirectly so thoughtful investment investment investment invest invest- ment in a state park program must be expanded the report urged The Commission expressed thanks for vital assistance given by the State Stat Road Commission State Land Board many County County County Coun Coun- ty Commissions and private citizens citizens citi citi- zens zees in donating time effort and funds to develop many park areas UTAH STATE PARKS w ev 5 UA tsi un tAR lI O e r t 0 R e r 1 10 ela late dl pI tR 40 u uY 1 a awe Y i we h. h AO I colt nit Alt to toSO SO ro b A MM M I D rill Ii hi hiIs Ii Is Yoe ala OUr n rou glom if si a m t 0 q qA qu I u i Y AI A awu |