I wish to thank everyone who voted in the primary election. Voting is an important right bestowed upon us and a pillar of democracy. Here in Park City, we are fortunate to have candidates with varying backgrounds and viewpoints for voters to choose from. As a long-time local, I am grateful my community first message resonates with enough voters to land me in second place in the Park City Council primary.
There have and always will be challenges for our mountain town. Some believe Park City is grown up and no longer small, but when I see familiar faces at community events, meet newer residents playing sports, and we all dance together at shows, it confirms for me we are still a tight knit, connected community. Since we live within a larger tourist-dependent area, however, oftentimes the differing interests of each conflict, resulting in traffic, lack of housing options for good, hardworking people, and socioeconomic inequities. The fact that we are still a tight community, however, is testament to our ability to accept change and adapt.
To thrive, any community needs a stable mix of new and old, young and senior. All too often I meet good people who spend almost all their time in Park City but cannot call it their home. By creating housing opportunities and a more sustainable way of life, we can welcome more of these people into our community, reduce commuter traffic, and enable them to participate, advocate, recreate and volunteer like generations of Parkites before them.
We have studied the issues for years, and now it is go-time … time for action, as our Vision 2020 results demand. I have listened to the community voice for years, and I can combine the imagination with the reality to come up with solid win-win solutions. Thank you, Park City, for your votes of confidence.
Ed Parigian
Park City