PARKS Our City Beautiful involves more than the above landscaping. We want to be know for our open space and green areas. Early in the year an ad hoc Park Committee was formed with Brent Perkes as Chair, to make recommendations for a new community park behind the municipal complex. Jonathan Saunders, Dorothy Slater and Linda and Val Currie were members of the committee designated to make tentative plans for the park. Residents' suggestions, comments and input were requested. At the May 18, 2006, City Council meeting, Brent Perkes presented the plans which the committee recommended. The committee tried to accommodate citizen ideas in their plans. Many residents would like a walkway; trees were a common request. The committee recommended a paved walkway around the perimeter of the park, planted with trees. Restrooms, a water fountain, a natural amphitheater, with lights and a speaker system, picnic areas, play area, pergolas, horseshoe pits, and an enlarged group gathering area adjacent to the patio were recommended. They considered utility, safety and cost maintenance in their plans. He estimated the development cost to be about $180,000, which could be less if community volunteers helped. The council discussed adding a bowery, and a security fence around the playground to the plan. The council accepted the general plans from the committee and forwarded them to the planning commission for consideration. The planning commission approved the plans at the June 20, 2006, meeting. The Yoshida family donated $100.00 in the name of George Yoshida, who passed away in April 2006. This fund will be used for improvements on this park. Future expansion of the parking lot on the west side of the city building is under consideration. Another park is in city plans. At the June council meeting, Administrator Bill Morris displayed an overhead transparency of various storm water detention basins in other municipalities. The preferred option is to have regional basins also serve as parks. He suggested that the regional basin on 700 South at the Willard Canal include a park. Previously, Greg Lewis was commissioned to head a committee to design a park in the detention basin, with Randy Phipps, Paula Okey, and Debbie Lewis as committee members. At the June council meeting, the site plan for a regional storm water detention basin and park at 700 South and the Willard Canal was presented and Mr. Lewis made their recommendations. They would have liked to use the basin for a baseball field, but it lacked the necessary space. They suggested three small soccer fields, a child play area, a perimeter walking track, and a parking lot They also proposed a small bowery, restrooms and a pioneer log cabin. The site is near the original site where John Marriott built his first log cabin in the community. He suggested that they call the park the John Marriott Heritage Park, and ask the Marriott Foundation for funding help. The council and staff reviewed the plan with its primary purpose as a storm water detention basin. RAMP funds could be used to assist in developing the park portion of the site. The council approved the site plan unanimously and referred it to the planning commission for action. At the Planning Commission Meeting in July the site was approved, after discussion. When questioned about maintenance cost, City Administrator Bill Morris informed them that the homes in the special service district, which includes the Quail Meadows Subdivision, would pay a monthly fee which will include an assessment for park maintenance. Commission Chair Les Syme commented: "We have a growing community, and we need places for children to play. This is a good use of this property." The city received $5000.00 from the RAMP funds distributed by the county. It will be spent on parks. It is planned to use the money to remove the dirt from the detention basin on 700 South and bring the dirt to the city office location to be used for berms for the park in back of the municipal building. It is necessary to submit requests for funding by RAMP each year to receive consideration. Other projects, such as the proposed mural on I-15, can be considered for next year's funding. In the June WACOG meeting, city mayors proposed requesting the Wasatch Front Regional Council to divide the region into the