Summit County is known for its recreation, from the miles of trails spanning across the Wasatch Back to the incredible athletic spaces.
In part that’s why many residents were torn between two Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District proposals: one that would promote the natural environment and a sense of community, and a larger facility that encourages active recreation.
Basin Recreation on Thursday hosted two open house sessions as part of its strategic planning process, which will help the organization develop a master plan that examines the next 10 years. Part of the plan includes assessing the district’s trails and open space, but it also involves determining how nearly 100 acres near the Silver Creek Village area should be developed.
The community this week saw the first glimpse of what could occupy the land with projects ranging from a little build-out to a building similar to the existing Fieldhouse in Kimball Junction. Consultants hired by Basin Recreation emphasized they hoped to find a balance between the two designs.
Option A is considered a minimal plan. It includes opportunities for passive recreation such as playgrounds, several pause places around viewpoints like wetlands, a park area and picnic space, a full soccer or baseball field with parking, connections to trailheads, a maintenance building and a fitness facility.
Option A has been dubbed a recreation center because of the community focus. The project would include 140 parking spaces and assets like group fitness, flexible multi-sport courts, a track, weights and cardio equipment, a small lap and leisure pool, an indoor playground, child watch, locker rooms, a lobby and space for third-party vendors such as physical therapy.
The project area is expected to be around 77,000 square feet in total. This project is less expensive and can be completed in a single phase.
Residents commented that they appreciated the minimal impact of the project and enjoyed the amount of open space as well as the enhancement of the area’s natural surroundings and family-friendly feel. Some attendees said they liked that only one outdoor field was included in the plan, while others indicated it needed more to accommodate area needs or that the facility should have an indoor field.
Several people had concerns about traffic in the Silver Summit area. Consultants said they were waiting to review a traffic study, but they have several options. They are also partnering with county transit staffers on the project.
There was also a vocal group advocating for the creation of a standalone bunny hill. A petition started by Silver Creek resident Kayla Jacks advocating for the bunny hill has garnered 1,200 signatures since its creation in late February. Consultants said it could be added to the overall 10-year master plan, but not necessarily the Silver Creek site.
Option B takes a maximized approach. This project includes a looped trail network, several sports fields, playgrounds, space for administration and maintenance operations, and more, in addition to the creation of another Fieldhouse-type building with an artificial field and courts that can have turf pulled over them. The facility would also include a lap and leisure pool and childcare as well as a climbing wall. The lobby would be smaller, but additional space could be created to accommodate the increasing demand for Basin Recreation camps. It could also be utilized as a meeting or event space.
The project’s campus could range from 95,000 square feet to just more than 100,000 square feet. The existing Fieldhouse is about 87,000 square feet. Basin Recreation would likely need to go out for a bond in 2024 to fund this design, according to Dana Jones, the district’s director.
There was conflicted community feedback on this build scenario. Some people said the design addressed the growing need for recreation and praised its efforts to maximize space for active youth. However, others felt it had too many outdoor sports fields, and that it was too focused on the indoor activities component. The height of the building, which is projected to be around 30 feet, the overall cost and the construction timeline were also concerns.
Consultants asked community members to consider how they wanted the development in the Silver Creek Village area to fit into the Basin Recreation portfolio. They should also think about whether Option B should replicate existing programs at the Fieldhouse or offer something new.
Around 60 people attended each open house. Their feedback on the Silver Creek project and the overall direction of Basin Recreation will be incorporated as the strategic planning process moves forward through the summer. The community will be asked to review the full plan in July with the final assessment this fall.
Snyderville Basin residents will also be surveyed in the coming weeks to determine their willingness to pay for any of the proposals. The Summit County Council in December approved a nearly 20% property tax increase to help address the immediate needs and longterm goals of Basin Recreation.
Visit http://www.getmovingbasinrec.org for more information about the project or to leave suggestions.