As spring approaches Heber Valley municipalities are looking to make some improvements to their park facilities.
Heber City announced improvements to the Muirfield Dog Park located west of town just off 750 North. The updated park will include separate fenced in play areas for large and small dogs. Each area will have a water fountain for the dogs to drink from and rocks and other items for the dogs to play on. Additionally, the area will have new landscaping, covered benches, trail improvements and a new restroom. The project will cost $123,000. City Manager Matt Brower says the city already saved money by having in-house research, design and construction. Brower broke down to the city council at a meeting in December how they could pay for the park.
“You have $91,000 available in impact fees that you got to spend before the end of this fiscal year, in fact you should have spent it before the end of last fiscal year. You also included in the current fiscal year budget $4,400 for tables and so you add the $91,000 and the $4,400 comes to $95,400. So, the Delta between the cost of the project in the $95,400 is $28,000. What I’m recommending to council is in your budget you had included an additional $30,000 for a potential referendum that you were going to consider for the adoption of the annexation policy plan. That never materialized, so I’m recommending that you re-allocate that money to this project. We can see it get underway and have the ribbon cutting on July 4th, 2019.”
The city council approved the re-allocation of funds at that December 18th meeting. The improvements are just one phase of plans to improve the park which will eventually have a pavilion, playground, pickleball and basketball courts. The park is scheduled to be closed from now until Independence Day.
Midway will also be improving their parks, the city announced it will be adding an ADA accessible park. The park will be located on Michie Lane and will be the city’s sixth park. Additionally, Midway will hold two cleanup and beautification days on Saturday May 4th and Saturday June 8th. Both cleanups will start at 8:00 am residents can meet that morning at Town Square Pavilion.