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More funds for Pioneer Park?
Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Sep 4, 2006 by Doug Smeath Deseret Morning News
When Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson asked for $400,000 in city money in May to fund a second stage of Pioneer Park renovations, a number of City Council members said that was too much. Now he's asking for $900,000.
Anderson wants the council to fund the second stage of his three- stage proposal for a park face lift with money in the city's capital- improvements budget. The council is scheduled to discuss the proposal Tuesday.
This past week, Anderson sent council members a letter saying the city had been denied a $900,000 federal grant he had hoped would help finance the park enhancements. Anderson had planned to supplement the grant with the $400,000 in capital-improvement fund money and $600,000 in private donations. But with the grant prospect gone, the mayor now wants the council to throw in another $500,000 that had been proposed for Liberty Park enhancements.
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"We have invested a significant amount of money into Liberty Park, and it has produced absolutely wonderful results," public services director Rick Graham said.
Now that anticipated federal money isn't coming, he said, it's Pioneer Park's turn.
But Councilwoman Nancy Saxton and Councilman Dave Buhler said there are other, more pressing needs for the money, including basic infrastructure like streets and sidewalks. Anderson is asking for money for a second stage, and as far as they see it, there is only one stage for Pioneer Park improvements, which the council has already funded.
"I'd like to see them get going on what we've already funded," Buhler said.
Phone calls and e-mails to Anderson's office seeking comment were not returned Friday.
Earlier this year, the council approved $600,000 in city funds to supplement a $496,000 federal grant for stage one, which will include a dog park, center lawn, cafe, bell tower, historic gardens and volleyball courts. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall and should be finished in spring 2007.
Stage two would include a public pavilion, new restrooms, a food and beverage concession area and a public plaza, Graham said.
"The administration again keeps showing phase one, two and three," Saxton said. "The council has been very clear that it's phase one of one, that we have no intention of putting more money into Pioneer Park. We just don't have the money. We have to choose and make our priorities, and this is not on the first page of our priority list."
Saxton recognizes that the park is widely regarded as a haven for homeless people and drug deals and little else. But she's not convinced Anderson's plans are the way to overcome those problems.
Instead, she'd like to see a greater police presence, which she thinks would be cheaper and more effective.
Councilman S?ren Simonsen is more sympathetic to Anderson's proposal, but he also worries about the cost.
"Pioneer Park has been a lesson in frustration for a lot of years," he said. "I think the improvements to the park now are just as important as they have ever been, but unfortunately, we have to find another way to fund it."
He said that may be possible simply by taking it slowly and funding second- and third-stage renovations later.
E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com
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