Plans for trails and parks in the Snyderville Basin will be unveiled this week at two open houses scheduled at Trailside Park.
There are upgrades planned for Willow Creek Park near Old Ranch Road.
“The budgeted items include a potential dog park at Willow Creek Park. There was a very strong majority of people that felt that a dog park need was there,” said Rena Jordan, director of the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District. “This is just one of the areas where we think we can propose an off-leash area for people with dogs.”
The pond at Willow Creek Park is used for ice skating in the winter.
“There have been a lot of requests to do lighting of the pond at Willow Creek Park,” Jordan said. “People wanted to know why we don’t do that.”
She said the lights may be installed this year.
Basin Recreation officials also expect the parking lot to be expanded and more picnic and shade pavilions to be built at Willow Creek Park.
It is also likely that a parcourse will be installed at the park, Jordan said. The course would allow people to engage in different exercises as they jog.
“You have little stations when you are out running or walking and then you can do pull ups or push ups,” Jordan explained. “There is a big trails perimeter where people are always out walking so we thought that would be a really cool place to have those.”
Long-term proposals for Willow Creek include more tennis courts and playing fields.
“Those are truly just visioning items for that park that we want to put out there,” Jordan said.
Plans for a new park on State Road 224 across from Canyons will also be on display at the open houses this week. The park may include a playground and an outdoor synthetic playing field.
Taxpayers in the Basin own about 20 acres of land near the site of the former Miss Billie’s Kid’s Kampus. Officials expect the park to be built on roughly 10 acres on the east half of the parcel.
Summit County has proposed a community garden on the west side of the land, Jordan said.
Meanwhile, recreation officials will also be seeking feedback this week about upgrades planned at Trailside Park. The second phase of construction could begin this year on the skate park and bicycle park at Trailside.
“A lot of these ideas have been suggested by people who use the park,” said Bonnie Park, public affairs manager for the Basin Special Recreation District.
The district may also build a yurt at Trailside Park for registering kids during summer camps.
Other potential projects that will be discussed this week include alternatives for a pedestrian trail along Highland Drive. The proposal is for a trail that would stretch from the Interstate 80 underpass to Old Ranch Road then continue along Highland to Silver Summit Parkway. Officials have estimated the cost of the Highland Drive trail at about $1.5 million.
The recreation open houses are scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Basin Recreation administration building, 5715 Trailside Drive.
“We’re trying to host these public open houses to have people come in at the design phase because we hear from a lot of special interest people and we want to hear from the bigger community about what they would like to see,” Jordan said. “We want to make sure that people feel an open opportunity and non-intimidating environment to come and give us input.”