Thanks for Your Input!
Nearly 1,000 people responded to the Pioneer Park – Your Downtown Park Vision Plan survey earlier this year. From them we learned that just 23% of respondents are satisfied with the park as it is now and that 76% of respondents are satisfied with the Vision Plan and would be more likely to use the park once the plan is complete.
Your top priorities for Pioneer Park improvements include more natural elements (trees, flowers, water features, etc.), security improvements (lighting, restroom design, park rangers, etc.), recreation and play features and comfort amenities (adding restrooms, drinking water, shade, seating, mist feature). This is consistent with the feedback we heard throughout the design process from the public survey to in-person events, and stakeholder meetings.
The project team presented to City Council in February. Click here to view the presentation, which includes information about the public engagement and preferred amenities, an assessment of the current site, the preferred concept plan and next steps!
What’s Next?
$3.44M in impact fee funding was dedicated to Pioneer Park by the City Council in 2019. Survey respondents indicated that their priorities for phase 1 included more natural plantings, the plaza and event pavilion. The project team will work through mid-2022 to determine which of the public’s preferred improvements can be included in phase 1 and what should be phased for construction when additional funding is available. Phase One is anticipated to be constructed in summer 2023.
Vision Overview
This vision plan directly incorporates input gained from the public this summer and fall, including hearing from more than 1,000 people at events, 1,800 online survey responses and 19 stakeholder meetings and workshops. Click here to read the full survey results report.
Based on this public input, the Pioneer Park – Your Downtown Park Vision Plan objectives were developed to ensure the park:
The concept maintains the multi-use field, added in the last phase of Pioneer Park improvements in 2019, and adds other opportunities for active play with basketball and pickleball courts, an all-ages playground and an enhanced dog-park. Connections to nature come in the form of shaded lawn, native plantings, tree groves and a sculptural water feature.
Care has been taken to consider operations of the Downtown Farmer’s Market. The concept changes the booth layout, but also adds amenities that will make the park more comfortable for patrons to stay longer – including more shade, seating and restrooms.
Events will continue to play a role in western downtown’s only park. The concept adds a plaza and pavilion on the north end with multiple new seating areas, café space, state-of-the-art restrooms and a station for SLC’s new Park Ranger program. The pavilion offers opportunities for small to mid-sized events when utilizing the plaza or larger-scale events when facing the multi-purpose field.
The concept also addresses safety by maintaining clear sight lines around the park and adding lighting, a park ranger station, information booth and café which significantly increase the presence of day-time staff and patrons in multiple locations.
Pioneer Park has historically been a gathering place, and the concept is designed to honor it as that and as one of the few open green spaces downtown. We want it to encourage social connection, positive interaction, and be a welcoming place for all visitors.