Pioneer Park, a cornerstone of Salt Lake City’s heritage and a common downtown gathering place, will soon see exciting new updates as Salt Lake City Public Lands begins implementing the Pioneer Park Vision Plan in 2024
What’s happening now?
Pioneer Park Tree Removal and Replanting:
During this renewal, a critical aspect of improving the park involves the health and management of the park’s trees. Several Linden trees within Pioneer Park are dead or in decline and require removal. This decision stems from:
– Species-Specific Vulnerabilities: The Linden trees have struggled with the current environmental conditions in the park.
– Irrigation: Traditional irrigation practices focused on lawn maintenance. New designs ensure irrigation will also ensure long-term tree health
While the trees Salt Lake City’s Urban Forestry division has determined are in poor health or dead will be removed, the project’s first phase includes a significant investment in new tree plantings. New trees have been carefully chosen to ensure their longevity and contribution to Pioneer Park’s ecological diversity. Some tree removals will occur outside the project area, those trees will be replaced by the City’s Urban Forestry division once stumps can be removed and when it is seasonally appropriate.
Future Plans
The implementation of the vision plan begins with developing design drawings for Phase 1 implementation of the Vision Plan. New amenities will be added to the northern end of the park and feature:
- Iconic pavilion and signature plaza with a misting fountain.
- Ranger kiosk and comfort station.
- New trees and native plant gardens.
Construction is expected to commence in 2025.
Funding & Project History
In 2019, Salt Lake City Council allocated $3.44 million in impact fee funding toward improvements for Pioneer Park. Then, in August 2022, the Council approved Sales Tax Bond contributed an additional $10 million. These investments were pivotal in reimagining Pioneer Park as a welcoming and dynamic space for the entire community. Salt Lake City Public Lands’ goal was to ensure the Pioneer Park Vision Plan was deeply rooted in the community’s aspirations and needs. The planning process was a collaborative effort that incorporated input from over 1,000 individuals through events, 1,800 online survey responses, and multiple stakeholder meetings and workshops, ensuring that the park’s transformation aligned with findings from the community involvement process.
Learn more about the plan and the history of the project here.
