Snyderville Basin voters will decide whether to approve or reject a $71 million general obligation bond to fund the construction of a new recreation facility after the Summit County Council authorized the ballot measure this week on behalf of the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District.

Basin Recreation last month unveiled plans for a $150 million general obligation bond to build a climbing facility in Jeremy Ranch and an aquatic center in Silver Creek, but community members and the Summit County Council questioned the project’s cost and need. Residents noted they are already paying for multiple Basin Recreation bonds in addition to the district’s base tax rate.

The district’s executive board and Executive Director Robert Parrish spent the past two weeks revising the proposal to make it more palatable to councilors and residents and suggested a $71 million bond instead, which is half of the district’s original request.

However, Parrish said the cut means the district won’t be able to build both facilities or include all specialized amenities. He said the district would likely construct a building in Silver Creek similar in size to the current Fieldhouse, although a smaller community center or outdoor equipment could still be installed on the Cline Dahle parcel in Jeremy Ranch.

For primary homeowners, the bond would add $12.09 for every $100,000 of a property’s taxable value, so a parcel worth $1 million would pay $120.90 in addition to the district’s base rate and other bond debts.

Secondary-home owners and businesses would pay $21.99 for every $100,000 of a property’s taxable value. That means a business or second home worth $1 million would pay $219.90 in addition to other costs.

Parrish said some of the district’s three outstanding bond debts — two from 2015 and one from 2017 — would expire by 2028, when the district plans to start construction and draw on the new proposed bond funding. Bond B from 2015 expires in December 2028, while the bond from 2017 expires in 2030.

Bond A from 2015 does not expire until December 2034.

Parrish said resolving some of the district’s debt would even out the cost for taxpayers, saying that residents would likely only need to pay for all four bonds, plus the base tax rate, in 2028. After that, at least one of the bonds will have expired, lowering the overall price tag.

Basin Recreation also has $6.3 million in its capital improvement fund, which Parrish plans to use to cover soft costs, like building permits and architectural designs, to delay when the district needs to draw on the bond in an effort to save taxpayers money.

Parrish said the district would hire a general contractor early in the process, too, to ensure the design doesn’t end up more expensive than anticipated.

The Summit County Council unanimously voted to place the bond on the Election Day ballot, with several councilors praising Parrish and the executive board for taking community feedback to heart throughout the proposal process.

“Thank you very much for coming back with a different proposal,” said County Councilor Tonja Hanson. “I think it will bode well with the constituents who were concerned about this. They had sticker shock … so I think your board and what you’ve done is very wise.”

Only voters in the Snyderville Basin within the Basin Recreation boundaries will see the bond measure on their ballot. Interim Summit County Clerk Malena Stevens said most residents living in the 84098 ZIP code are within the boundaries, but residents with a 84060 zip code — which covers most of Park City proper — are not.

Basin Recreation will hold another public hearing and provide information on potential building designs on Sept. 23.

The post Basin Recreation’s proposed $71 million bond will appear on Election Day ballot appeared first on Park Record.

The Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District cut its proposed bond amount in half after residents bemoaned the district’s growing price tag, and Executive Director Robert Parrish said the reduction means future facilities will also need to downsize.

Basin Recreation last month unveiled plans for a $150 million general obligation bond to build a climbing facility in Jeremy Ranch and an aquatic center in Silver Creek, but community members and the Summit County Council questioned the project’s cost and need. Residents noted they are already paying for two Basin Recreation bonds in addition to the district’s base tax rate.

Parrish said he took the County Council and community feedback to heart, and the district plans to propose a reduced $71 million general obligation bond on Wednesday. Voters will have a chance to decide the bond’s future if the County Council authorizes placing it on the Election Day ballot.

Approximately $60 million would go toward constructing the buildings, while another $11 million would be set aside for unexpected and “soft” costs, including the design process and required permits.

Parrish said the district will likely build a “major” facility on one site and a smaller community center or outdoor recreation field on the other. However, Basin Recreation leadership is still determining whether to prioritize the Cline Dahle parcel in Jeremy Ranch or the district-owned parcel in Silver Creek.

“When I say ‘major,’ it will probably be the same size or maybe a little smaller than the current Fieldhouse,” Parrish said. “We’re going to do a cost analysis for site development on both properties. If one would cost more to put in utilities, that might lead us one way or the other. We’ll also do some geotech surveys on the sites to see which site is going to be easiest to build on, which one has the space for us to do programming, and then we’ll go from there.”

The buildings haven’t been designed, but district officials are formulating possible programming options over the next few weeks to determine what needs to be included in each facility while remaining under budget. The results of those conversations will be published in October, which is when the district plans to hold another public hearing ahead of Election Day.

“We’ll have to reconfigure the building design to allow for some modularity … so that the buildings can easily be added onto without the significant expense of having to shut down the building and open up the whole entire wall,” Parrish said.

It’s uncertain whether aquatic or climbing equipment will be included at this point because the district needs to evaluate the costs of running different types of facilities, Parrish said.

“We’ll go through some exercises analyzing what can be done within the budget and program it from there,” he added. “Once we have the program and the building planned, we’ll also work on how we can phase in amenities or what we can do later on.”

Parrish said district leadership arrived at the $71 million figure for a variety of reasons, including findings in a 2024 strategic plan that indicated residents would support a $70 million bond to build a facility in Silver Creek. He also noted the current Fieldhouse would cost $45 million to renovate if it were damaged in a fire, based on a recent facilities assessment.

“Replacing the building is cheaper, so to build a new building of a similar size, it would probably be closer to $50 million or $55 million,” Parrish said. “We don’t own (the Fieldhouse property). There are other things that we inherited that make the cost of that facility less, whereas if we were to build a facility from scratch, there’s a lot more that would go into it for us.”

If Basin Recreation can’t afford two facilities, it’s possible one property could be converted into a park or outdoor recreation space. Parrish said he’s received some requests to leave the Silver Creek parcel as open space, but the development agreement for the land requires the construction of a recreation area.

“The developer basically donated and gave us the land with the intent for us to create parklands and develop it and provide at least some amenities,” Parrish said. “There are legal constraints for the things that we must do on these properties.”

Parrish also pointed out that Basin Recreation’s two current bonds expire in 2028 and 2030. He said the district wouldn’t draw on the new bond’s funding until it’s time to start construction, which would likely be in mid-2028, so residents would only be paying all three bonds for one to two years.

As more developments are built, like Altus Park City, the price for residents will decrease because more people are paying property taxes, Parrish added.

“The hope is that we’ll get something that everybody can use, that everybody needs, but it may not be what everybody wants,” Parrish said. “But we can work on those wants and build those out in future years as the population grows and we start paying off this other debt.”

Parrish and the Basin Recreation executive board will present the lower $71 million bond to the County Council on Wednesday. The county will hold a public hearing on the proposal the same night, and councilors are scheduled for a final vote on whether to authorize the special election.

The post Basin Recreation lowers proposed general obligation bond to $71 million, half of previous request appeared first on Park Record.

Basin Recreation wrapped up its summer biking season last weekend with what coaches called “a big bike party” at Trailside Park.

The event combined the annual Downhill and Grill celebration, kids mountain bike clinics and the final Tiny Tires Showdown of the summer season. 

The Trailside parking lot was transformed into a racetrack with speed bumps, a sharp U-turn, bubbles and inflatable bowling pin obstacles. The competitors were all under the age of 3 and rode pedal-less balance bikes.

Racers took mixed approaches in preparing for the race. Some wore the head-to-toe mountain bike gear required for an extreme downhill ride, while others wore Hello Kitty shoes and dinosaur helmets more typical of a toddler. Most sat with their parents drinking Capri-Sun and eating Cheetos after a few practice laps through the course. 

Most of the 2- and 3-year-old Tiny Tires competitors were too focused on the race to comment, but 2-year-old Davion Acevedo-Jordan was willing to speak after his round-one win.

Davion, who said he considers himself a “professional kids mountain bike racer,” competed in the Tiny Tires Showdown for the first time this weekend and won his first race. He said he’s as fast as superhero The Flash when he races. 

His parents said they had to find a special balance bike with brakes since Davion rides so fast. Davion was very excited to show off his mountain bike gear, including gloves, knee pads and a full-face helmet. 

After two rounds of racing with 30 competitors, Davion finished in second place in the 2-and-under division.

While the Tiny Tires Showdown kept the toddlers busy, mountain bike coaches with Basin Rec led skills clinics around the Trailside Bike Park for older kids. They learned basic fundamentals like braking techniques and where to position their feet on the pedals while exploring the bike park and its features. 

Angie Greenburg, an associate recreation supervisor for Basin Rec, leads many of the district’s mountain bike programs. She’s worked with Basin Recreation for 23 years and has held her current position as associate supervisor for 15 years. Greenburg coaches different mountain biking classes, from toddler to adult lessons, coordinates program development and works with the mountain bike club. 

As a supervisor, Greenburg has been focused on improving the programs’ safety standards. She’s encouraged coaches to become certified with the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association.

The importance of safety, progression and building skills matches the overall vision at Trailside Park.

“It’s fun to see the expansion of the park over the years,” said Trails Supervisor David Paskoski. “It’s stayed true to being a progressive park.” 

A progressive park, Paskoski explained, is designed so riders can develop their skills and make progress all in one park. The trails and features are all built at different difficulty levels so that there’s something for everyone. 

“This park is just amazing,” Greenburg said. “It’s a great hub for kids. There’s just so much going on.” 

This is the first year for the Tiny Tires Showdown, but the Downhill and Grill has been an annual event for Basin Recreation for a while.

Phares Gines, trails and open space manager, said the event is a way to give back to the community. 

“At the end of the summer, we want to say thank you and we appreciate the community,” Gines said.

Paskoski added, “It’s been a good season. No complaints. Spirits are high.” 

The post Basin Recreation ends summer with ‘a big bike party’ appeared first on Park Record.

The Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District is reducing the scope of its proposed bond measure after residents and the Summit County Council questioned the need for certain amenities and bemoaned the district’s growing price tag.

Basin Recreation last month unveiled plans for a $150 million general obligation bond to build a climbing facility in Jeremy Ranch and an aquatic center in Silver Creek, and each building would also have weight and cardio machines like the Fieldhouse. 

Robert Parrish, the district’s executive director, said the expansion is necessary because the Fieldhouse has an “existing capacity deficit” that will only become more apparent as developers build new residential units in the Snyderville Basin.

“There are going to be more of us sharing the same limited resources that we currently have,” Parrish said. “Our hope is we can use this as an opportunity to also expand and provide additional amenities that the community has asked for.”

The facilities’ amenities were determined through multiple surveys and engagement sessions with residents, and the district proposed the $150 million bond in an effort to afford specialized equipment, indoor fields and a lap pool, which community members requested, in addition to the buildings’ construction.

For primary homeowners, the bond would have added $25 for each $100,000 of a property’s market rate value. For example, the owner of a $1 million home would have paid $255 annually under the bond structure, and the owner of a $1.5 million home would have paid $375.

Secondary homeowners and businesses would also have paid an increased fee of $46 for each $100,000 of a property’s market rate value.

However, those numbers did not include Basin Recreation’s base tax rate or the cost of the district’s two previous bonds, which are still being paid off. With the two other bonds included, a primary homeowner would have paid $478 annually for a $1 million property while a business or secondary homeowner would have paid $870.

County Councilor Chris Robinson asked Parrish for the total amount the bond would cost taxpayers, including the base rate. But Parrish did not have a number during Wednesday’s meeting.

Two Summit County residents addressed the County Council with concerns about the bond’s price tag, with one speaker telling Parrish she was confident that voters would reject the proposal on Election Day if the measure were placed on the ballot.

Orlie Bush, who also commented on the proposal, estimated she would pay $2,800 to Basin Recreation annually between her tax bill and $600 12-month membership to use the district’s facilities.

“Like many people, I feel like I’m being taxed out of my home,” Bush said. “Is it the community’s responsibility to provide this? It’s like a private health club. … It’s not reasonable at all, and I think I speak for a lot of the homeowners who have been here a while.”

All five county councilors told Parrish they received “negative feedback” from constituents about the proposal.

County Councilor Tonja Hanson specifically said she would reject the measure in its entirety if it were up to councilors rather than voters.

“I’m absolutely against raising property taxes,” Hanson said. “We are taxing people out of our county. We’ve got the mega rich who can afford it, but we have other people who cannot.”

County Councilor Megan McKenna agreed with Hanson, saying many residents are already struggling financially without the addition of a new bond payment. However, McKenna and Hanson favored putting the bond measure on the ballot anyway to let Snyderville Basin residents determine their future.

But Robinson called putting the bond on the ballot “risky” because it likely wouldn’t pass, potentially undermining the community’s trust in the County Council. He also said he was worried Parrish was “underplaying, understating or underconsidering” the district’s increase in operating costs to run the two facilities.

“It’s a risky gamble, and the risk is not just for Basin Rec and its reputation and credibility, but it’s also for future things that we collectively as a government may want to put on a ballot,” Robinson said.

County Council Vice Chair Roger Armstrong similarly urged Basin Recreation leadership to lower the bond amount or abandon the proposal altogether. He said overcrowding at the Fieldhouse is an issue, but he encouraged the district to find a less expensive solution and provide a “core” fitness facility rather than amenities like a swimming pool or climbing wall.

“The public could take a look at our authorization of a bond that size and decide that we’ve really lost our way and lost our minds in even allowing that to go up for a vote,” Armstrong said. “My biggest fear would be to put something significant like this on the ballot, have it defeated and it then poisons future open space bonds, future other bonds that we really need because it leaves such a bad taste.”

County Council Chair Canice Harte also appeared cautious of the bond’s high price tag, but he told Parrish he would vote to put it on the ballot for voters to decide if that was still the route the district preferred after hearing the feedback.

Parrish declined to move forward with the County Council’s vote, telling Harte that his staff will work on creating a more feasible budget for the facilities.

Parrish said after the meeting that he does not yet know how much the district will request, but he expects the amount to be “half or less” of the current proposal. He also said the change may mean Basin Recreation builds only one of the facilities or downsizes both buildings to be under budget.

The County Council is scheduled to hear the revised proposal on Aug. 19. The last day to submit the bond measure to the state for it to appear on the Election Day ballot is Sept. 4.

The post Basin Recreation to draft new bond proposal after backlash from community, Summit County Council appeared first on Park Record.

What started as an idea to get more people to the annual Downhill & Grill community event evolved into Basin Recreation’s first bike race series for toddlers.

There are only two rules for the Tiny Tires Showdown: no riders over 4 years old and no pedals on the bikes.

Hanna Markel, events and outreach lead coordinator for Basin Recreation, said she was pleased with how the series has turned out so far.

“So far, it’s been awesome. Lots of big smiles,” she said.

The races have taken place at parks in the Snyderville Basin. Courses are set up with toddler-friendly obstacles like bubbles, pool noodles and speed bumps. Markel said the kids love exploring the track before the race just as much as the actual competition.

For parents, the races are a chance to explore the parks and get their kids outside in a safe environment. Markel said many have been to new parks and their kids are making new friends because of the races.

“The parents have been super into it, too,” Markel said. “Parents like that their kids are out racing, having fun, and it’s very controlled, low stakes.” 

While it is a low-stakes race, there is still a chance for the kids to get on a podium and receive a medal.

“It’s been very fun and very cute,” Markel said

Along with the Tiny Tire Showdown on Aug. 8, Basin Recreation is planning mountain bike clinics for older kids as part of their Downhill & Grill event. The clinics are for kids aged 6-12 and will be led by Basin Mountain Bike coaches.

The clinics will start at a beginner level, but the Trailside park is built for a wide range of ability and skill levels. 

The Downhill & Grill event started out as a way to thank the community after Basin Recreation built the Trailside Bike Park. Every year people bring bikes, eat barbeque and enjoy the community parks together.

“We are out there to have fun and get kids outside and on bikes,” Markel said. 

Markel said her favorite thing about these events particularly is getting to know a new part of the community. 

“We do a lot of really fun community events,” she said. “But I think this is one where we are reaching out to a bit of a younger crowd of kids, and it’s just fun to see how thankful everyone is for little things like this.” 

Registration is still open for each event on the Basin Recreation website and will be made available through race-day on Aug. 8.

The post Toddlers to race bikes in ‘Tiny Tires Showdown’ appeared first on Park Record.

The Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District is exploring a potential public-private partnership to build a sculpture garden and mini-golf course, likely on the property of its future Silver Creek facility.

Jennifer Riff, a Park City resident, proposed the joint venture to the district’s board earlier this month. She said she’s in the process of creating a registered nonprofit to formalize an agreement with Basin Recreation if board members ultimately approve the project.

Specifically, Riff suggested building a 14-hole mini-golf course surrounded by a sculpture garden with themes and motifs important to Park City. She listed the area’s mining history and Olympic involvement as examples, adding that the sculptures would be interactive and educational for visitors.

Riff said the mini-golf course would also fill a niche underserved in Summit County: “casual recreation” for all ages.

The project wouldn’t come with a new price tag for taxpayers, though. Basin Recreation is already considering a $150 million bond to build the Silver Creek facility, as well as one in Jeremy Ranch.

Riff said her nonprofit would front construction costs as long as Basin Recreation provides land and bathroom access. The nonprofit would also operate the course, with a portion of the proceeds going to Basin Recreation. The nonprofit’s earnings would go toward operational costs and purchasing more artwork for the sculpture garden.

Tickets would cost between $10 and $15 depending on the customer’s age and whether they’re a Basin Recreation member. There would not be a restaurant on the course, but a food stand would likely sell prepackaged drinks and ice cream.

The board appeared to support the idea, with multiple members praising Riff for wanting to provide amenities to all families without increasing the district’s budget or requiring additional taxpayer funding. Basin Recreation Executive Director Robert Parrish said he thought the project “could be very successful” and help the district in the future.

“If we set this up and we do it right, it would actually set a precedent and attract others,” he said, referring to public-private partnerships. “We’ve had a couple of other people come in and propose some projects, and we could potentially set up those projects under a similar idea. I think it’s good.”

Riff said the nonprofit would need 1.5 to 2 acres of land to accommodate the mini-golf course and sculpture garden, and she suggested a 20-year lease with Basin Recreation to govern the agreement.

Parrish told board members the Cline Dahle property in Jeremy Ranch is too small for the project, meaning it would likely be built on the district’s Silver Creek parcel if it comes to fruition. He also responded to concerns about water use, saying the mini-golf course would have turf instead of grass and be intentionally landscaped to reduce water needs.

Parrish advocated for expanding the sculpture garden in the future, too.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be at the mini-golf course,” he said. “We could make more of the property, as you’re walking through trails, have more installations. We could make this more of a site concept rather than just a small portion of it. There’s room for that there.”

Riff said her team can’t design the mini-golf course until the nonprofit knows which piece of land it’ll potentially be leasing from Basin Recreation, but she estimated the design and construction process would take a year and a half.

The board did not take any action on the project this month. However, board members agreed to continue the conversation with Riff and to delve deeper into the idea at the committee level before bringing a more comprehensive proposal for a vote.

The post Basin Recreation explores partnership to add sculpture garden, mini-golf course to proposed facility appeared first on Park Record.

The Summit County Council will likely hold a public hearing next month for residents to comment on the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District’s proposed $150 million bond to fund new facilities in Jeremy Ranch and Silver Creek.

The 20-year bond would allow the district to build a climbing facility in Jeremy Ranch and an aquatic center in Silver Creek, but each building would also have weight and cardio machines like the Fieldhouse.

Basin Recreation Executive Director Robert Parrish told the County Council this week that the expansion is necessary as developments in the Snyderville Basin, like Altus Park City, come online over the next few years and increase the demand for services.

“We have development coming,” Parrish said. “In the next 10 years, we’re going to go from about 25,000 up to over 30,000 residents in the Basin. That’s a 20% increase.”

Parrish said the bond amount was determined based on feedback from residents about the project’s scope and desired amenities, plus creating a more connected experience for patrons.

“What it would create is an east, a west and a central zone in the district, with the intent and the hope that we would also have trail connectivity so that the residents that are on the west side of Pinebrook and Jeremy Ranch have trail features,” he said. “They could potentially walk or bike to the recreation facility and not have to come into (Kimball) Junction, not get on I-80.”

The bond would fund construction of the buildings, while impact fees, grants and public-private partnerships would pay for equipment and outdoor facilities.

“We’re not solely relying on tax dollars and property tax dollars to fund their recreation,” Parrish said. “We’re hoping as we go through this process that we will be able to identify cost savings and bring the cost down.”

Ryan Bruce, chair of Basin Recreation’s control board, told councilors the bond amount, how it would be distributed and other financial decisions are based on data collected through various surveys, audits and public engagement sessions.

“We’re reducing our fleet,” Bruce said. “We’re making sure it makes sense. We are taking control in understanding every bit of work that has to be done on every facility to plan for it and to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”

Parrish said he expects the construction’s total cost to be between $120 and $125 million, but the district is asking for $150 million as a safeguard for rising prices and unexpected roadblocks. He added that the district is also auditing its fee structure to raise more funding and modernize the membership structure.

“Right now, in looking at our cost recovery model based on similar recreation districts along with the national average, our fee recovery is actually less than what it should be,” Parrish said. “We’re probably at about 25% to 30% cost recovery. We do need to increase our fees, and our residents have actually mentioned that. A lot of them have said that we’re undercharging for a lot of the programs.”

County Councilor Chris Robinson expressed concerns about the long-term operations of the district, pointing out that the new buildings would double the square footage of Basin Recreation’s facilities.

“My recollection was that you sought a higher property tax increase for operations through Truth in Taxation, and we clipped your wings a little bit,” Robinson said. “That was just to manage what you’ve got now.”

Parrish said the district is already revising its strategic plan to account for the additional employees it will need to hire to run the facilities. Specifically, he said the increased fees should cover staffing costs and that a third-party company may be brought in to run operations.

“We’re going to start working in that direction now rather than wait for years until we’re ready to open and realize we don’t have enough,” Parrish said. “This will be planned for as we go through the process.”

County Council Vice Chair Roger Armstrong was also nervous about the ongoing operational cost of the new buildings. He told Parrish an aquatic center had been pitched to the County Council before, but councilors never felt comfortable following through with the idea.

“In the past, anytime when an aquatic facility has been mentioned, it’s been almost an immediate ‘not a chance’ because the (operations and maintenance) on aquatics is actually quite high,” he said. “It’s been on the list forever. It’s not an accident that it hasn’t been built before now.”

Robinson said he wanted to see a forecasted operations budget to prevent Basin Recreation from returning to the County Council to request a property tax increase after the facilities are built, but Parrish said it’s too early in the process to know those particular costs.

He estimated designing the facilities would take at least a year, followed by another year of construction, giving the district time to outline an operational budget within its means.

Robinson was also curious about Basin Recreation’s backup plan if the bond fails in November. Parrish said the district could save impact fees, but they likely wouldn’t cover the cost of the project because they need to be used within six years under state law.

Instead, the district would likely save impact fees and seek public-private partnerships, which Parrish warned could fundamentally change the nature of the projects because the district would be held accountable to a third-party investor.

The County Council did not take any action on the bond this week, but the county government plans to hold a public hearing on the proposal in the Snyderville Basin on Aug. 5.

Parrish said the County Council will need to pass a resolution authorizing the district to pursue the bond by Sept. 4 to place the measure on the Election Day ballot.

Information on the proposed bond and new facilities is available by visiting basinrecreationutah.gov/better-basin.

The post Public hearing on Basin Recreation’s proposed $150 million bond likely scheduled for next month appeared first on Park Record.

Voters in the Snyderville Basin may see a general obligation bond totaling up to $150 million on their Election Day ballots if the Summit County Council authorizes a request from the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District on Wednesday.

The 20-year bond would fund the construction of new Basin Recreation facilities in Jeremy Ranch and Silver Creek Village as part of the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District’s Better Basin initiative. Basin Recreation Executive Director Robert Parrish said the district’s expansion is necessary as developments, like Altus Park City, come online over the next few years and increase the demand for services.

The proposed climbing and fitness facility in East Canyon would include bouldering, weight training and cardio machines, multi-purpose courts and a track, according to a Basin Recreation staff report. The building would have 64,000 square feet of space and be located on the county-owned Cline Dahle parcel in Jeremy Ranch.

Meanwhile, the aquatics facility in Silver Creek Village would have 120,000 square feet of space and include an indoor lap pool, recreation pool, weight training and cardio machines, indoor turf and areas for youth fitness classes, childcare and summer camps.

“The $150 million is the maximum for which we would seek an authorization,” Parrish said. “As we move into actual design, our intent is to work within that limit and make every effort to reduce the overall cost.”

The average homeowner with a residence worth $700,000 would pay $207 annually, per the staff report.

Basin Recreation would use the funding to construct the buildings and “core amenities.” The bond would not cover the full cost of the projects, though, and additional outdoor amenities, like pickleball courts and trail connections, would be funded through impact fees, grants and other revenue sources at a later date.

Parrish said the offerings at each proposed facility were determined based on survey results from Basin Recreation patrons, many of whom complained of overcrowding at The Fieldhouse and a lack of indoor amenities.

Approximately 1,093 people responded to the survey, with 61% saying they would support a potential bond measure.

In a previous interview with The Park Record, Parrish said the district is working hard to lower the overall costs of the bond on individual taxpayers. Specifically, Basin Recreation plans to use the new bond to restructure and pay off its existing debt to minimize the annual effect on taxpayers’ wallets.

Summit County homeowners with a market value of $400,000 would pay $118 annually if the new bond were approved. Homeowners with a market value of $1 million would pay $295, while a homeowner with a market value of $1.5 million would pay $443.

Parrish said the price will decrease over time because future growth in the area will add taxpayers to the Basin Recreation’s taxable boundaries.

“As those new homes and businesses are built, they join the tax rolls and begin paying their share of the same bond payment, meaning the same total bill is split more ways, and current residents’ share does not stay fixed: It goes down as the Basin grows,” the staff report said. “Building now … allows growth already in the development pipeline to help pay down the bond as it happens rather than after construction costs and interest rates have both climbed further.”

The Summit County Council must authorize the bond for Basin Recreation to move forward with the ballot initiative. Councilors are expected to hear from Parrish about the proposal and potentially vote on the authorization on Wednesday.

Information on the Better Basin initiative, as well as a survey link for residents who want to comment on the bond proposal, is available online at basinrecreationutah.gov/better-basin.

The post Basin Recreation proposes $150 million bond to build new facilities appeared first on Park Record.

Summit County residents interested in the future of the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District will have an opportunity to speak with staff and study potential designs for two new facilities next week as Basin Recreation prepares a bond measure for the November ballot to fund the construction.

Basin Recreation Executive Director Robert Parrish said the two facilities will be built on the county’s Cline Dahle parcel in Jeremy Ranch and a district-owned property in Silver Creek Village. 

The two facilities will likely duplicate some offerings available at the Fieldhouse to reduce demand, like weight machines, but Parrish said the Silver Creek Village complex would likely be larger and aquatics-focused while the East Canyon complex on the Cline Dahle property would have more courts and climbing walls.

Parrish said the facilities were designed based on feedback from Basin Recreation patrons in May, and the open houses next week will give residents a chance to engage in the process further as the district works to garner voter support for a bond measure in November to fund construction.

“We need to look at how we can plan for facilities to meet current resident needs, as well as plan for growth,” Parrish said. “What we’re hoping to do is have a bond measure that will not only restructure our current bond debt, which we will then pay off early, but also bond for the new facilities.”

The bond amount won’t be revealed until next week’s open houses. However, Parrish said the proposal aims to add less than $300 onto a property owner’s annual tax bill, with the final amount likely being around $200 depending on a property’s value.

Parrish said Basin Recreation specifically designed the facilities for add-ons, too.

“We designed the buildings so that they’re scalable, so if the initial price is more than what people are willing to do right now, we still have options that at least get the base facility built, and we can always expand it later on,” he said.

Parrish acknowledged Snyderville Basin residents’ previous opposition to tax increases to fund Basin Recreation programs and facility upgrades, but he said the district is intentionally considering the impact the bond would have on individuals’ budgets to propose something manageable.

He said he’s also heard repeated concerns that Summit County residents are fronting costs for commuters or Salt Lake Valley residents who use the Fieldhouse. In response, Parrish said Basin Recreation is auditing its financial structure to see how much to charge out-of-county patrons to ensure its pricing is fair for local users.

“We’re looking for the bond to pay for the building itself, and we can fund the programs using program fees, but we can also use impact fees to help with some of the things that would then outfit these buildings to be fully functional,” Parrish said. “It’s more than just the bond that’ll be paying for this. New developments, non-residents will be paying a good portion of what will go into these facilities, as well as the residents.”

Parrish said the facilities could open as soon as 2029 if the bond measure were to pass in November. Specifically, he said Basin Recreation would spend the next year finalizing its designs, with construction likely starting in the spring or summer of 2028. 

He estimated construction would take a year and a half.

“That’s important, though, because of the planned developments that are coming,” Parrish said, referring to Altus Park City, formerly known as the Dakota Pacific project, and other housing projects slated for development in the next 10 years. “A lot of these new units that are coming in will already be online by then, so we’re going to see growth coming very soon. My hope is that by the time the new housing goes in and there are people living there, our facilities are coming online around the same time to mitigate the impact.”

Parrish and other Basin Recreation staff will be available to talk to residents about the project in depth on Wednesday at one of its three open houses: 8 to 10 a.m. at the Matt Knoop Memorial Park, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fieldhouse and 5 to 7 p.m. at the Trailside Park Administrative Building.

Information on the open houses is available at basinrecreationutah.gov/events/better-basin-facility-preview.

The post Basin Recreation to hold open houses on new facilities, proposed bond measure appeared first on Park Record.

A project to make the Trailside Wheels Park more accessible and inclusive for people of all ages and abilities is moving forward.

The Administrative Control Board of Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District voted unanimously on June 11 to approve the conceptual design, which completely renovates the skate park with new street-style terrain and a warm-up/beginner area. 

The design also expands the skate park’s footprint from 16,000 square feet to a little more than 25,000 square feet. Included in that expansion are about 4,500 square feet of transition-style features and 3,000 square feet of integrated pump track. 

Phase two of the project now begins for Spohn Ranch, a Los Angeles-based company specializing in skate park design that was hired to overhaul the facility. This construction documentation phase includes finalizing drawings and specifications for the project. Spohn Ranch is handling all aspects of construction, including labor, materials and equipment.

The plan is to transform the skate park into a modern “wheels park” that serves a broad range of users, including those on skateboards, scooters, BMX bikes and inline skates. 

The skate park was created at Trailside in 2010 by placing prefabricated features on an outdoor skating rink. 

“This approach limits performance and durability when compared to purpose-built skateparks,” a district staff report says. “After more than a decade of use, the facility has outgrown its original design, and a renovation is now needed to replace and modernize aging components.”

The design was developed with the help of community input. Staff members and Spohn Ranch representatives made presentations at an open house and a town hall-style meeting of proposed features, took feedback from attendees and offered an online survey. Two conceptual designs were shown at the town hall and there was a clear consensus among participants that one of them was preferred.

“We wanted to create something that’s wheel friendly,” Jason Baldessari, Spohn Ranch’s global director of skatepark development, told the board. “So as long as you don’t have a motor, we want you to be able to come here, use this facility, and not only have fun, but also challenge yourself. We designed features in here that can be used by adaptive users.”

The design also focuses on the experience of non-users, such as parents who plan to stay at the park watching their children skate, Baldessari said. No one likes waiting in a car, especially on a warm day, and a plaza provides a comfortable and shaded space for them to sit, he said.

In addition, he said the skate park is not going to have a negative impact on adjacent amenities, including a basketball court and a shade structure, as well as a future parking lot expansion.

After the public engagement, additional geotechnical work was done on the site and showed extremely shallow bedrock, the staff report says. 

“This shifted the extent and depth of some features, but the design was still within the public’s expressed acceptable range,” the report says.

The approved project cost is $1.85 million and the funds are coming through Basin Recreation’s capital improvements budget and impact fees. In addition, the district staff applied for a grant from the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation and was awarded $500,000, which will offset the cost.

The post Basin Recreation approves ‘wheel friendly’ design for Trailside skate park  appeared first on Park Record.