Category Archives: Jordan River

Pedal in the City: Jordan Parkway Trail Finished!

A long awaited dream for Fairpark residents and bike enthusiasts all over the city has come true. Residents can now cycle the entire Jordan Parkway Trail without skirting around side streets between sections of trail. The Jordan River Trail Bridge was officially opened and dedicated at celebration event on November 18 at Fisher Mansion. This bridge completes Jordan River Trail, an urban paved trail that follows the Jordan River through Salt Lake City from Davis County through Utah County.

Speaking at the dedication ceremony included David Litvak,SLC Mayor’s office, Ben McAdams, Salt Lake County Mayor, James Rogers, Salt Lake City Council District 1, Stan Penfold, Salt Lake City Council District 3, Rep. Sandra Hollins, District 23, and Kyle Lamalfa, former District 2 City Council Member, who was instrumental in moving forward the completion of the Jordan River Parkway Trail.

More information is available at the Jordan River Commission (http://jordanrivercommission.com/) and the Salt Lake City (http://www.slcgov.com).

Dream Turns to Reality – Folsom Trail Design in Process

The Folsom Trail project has been in the works for over two decades and is finally starting to take shape through the leadership of the Fairpark Community Council based on feedback from residents like you!

Located between 500 W and the Jordan River, and between North Temple and 200 S, this area used to be an old rail line and will be replaced with a new park and trail. It is currently in the early stages of planning and design. The Folsom Trail is a planned off-street, paved walking and biking path designed to connect the Jordan River Parkway Trail to Downtown Salt Lake City.

The concept of an east-west trail from Downtown to the Jordan River Trail is found in five adopted master plans. In the short term, our community will be the home to new off-street paths and parks, and improved street crossings. Long term plans include daylighting city creek and development of new urban neighborhoods.

The Folsom Trail will provide a route for people of all ages and abilities to travel between the Jordan River Trail, and the communities of Fairpark, Glendale, Poplar Grove to Downtown. Working in partnership with Salt Lake City, local community councils and community organizations such as the

Seven Canyons Trust, and the University of Utah’s Westside Studio, will move forward with a public design process to establish the design for upcoming trail improvements. Make sure to come to future Community Council meetings for updates on how you can make your voice heard for what you want to see in this new urban walking and biking trail!

Save

Nature in the City Proposal

Seventeen local, regional and national environmental groups have endorsed a proposal called “Nature in the City”, to create a riparian greenway along the Jordan

Pictured here is the new Fred and Ila Fife Wetlands Preserve, west bank
Jordan River at 900 South, Salt Lake City, Utah

River all the way across Salt Lake City. The plan, which has also been endorsed by both the Glendale and Poplar Grove community councils, would designate a series of
“nature parks” along the river corridor, mostly on existing city-owned open space. It would regrade stream banks to reduce erosion, replace non-native plants with native plant communities, add new wetlands, improve water quality and connectivity along the river both for people and wildlife. It would also promote nature
education, urban agriculture, off-street commuter bike trail expansion along, to and from the Jordan River Parkway Trail, and the creation of several nature-themed
community centers to serve as gateways to the river.
This proposal will be presented at the October Fairpark Community Council Meeting.
Pictured here is the new Fred and Ila Fife Wetlands Preserve, west bank Jordan River at 900 South, Salt Lake City, Utah

Westview Media has a feature on this proposal here.

Explore the Jordan River by bike and boat during October!

A coalition of environmental groups has proposed the development of a series of nature park along the Jordan River corridor all the way across Salt Lake City. The plan is called “Nature in the City.”

To learn about this plan residents of the Fair Park, Rose Park, Jordan Meadows or Westpoint neighborhoods are invited to tour the river corridor with expert guides in a series of three FREE bike and float trips down the river. You’ll learn a lot about the river and have a great time meeting your west side neighbors!

For more information go to www.natureinthecityslc.org and to register for any of these trips contact Ray Wheeler at wheeler.ray@gmail.com

October 8, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm: 12-mile bike trip all the way across the city on the Jordan River Parkway Trail, with multiple stops to explore open space and parks. We’ll all use our own bikes and our own cars for the shuttle from the end point at about 2800 North, Redwood Road, back to the starting point in the parking area east of the Redwood Community Center (3060 Lester Street, West Valley City.)

October 15, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm: 12-mile bike trip all the way across the city on the Jordan River Parkway Trail, with multiple stops to explore open space and parks. This trip will end at a river party at 1800 North hosted by the West View quarterly newspaper to celebrate its fall issue devoted to the Jordan River. Food, music, and games for kids at the party.

October 22, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm: “multimodal” tour of the Jordan River corridor with expert guides who will teach you boating skills, . Any number of people can join us for the bike trip, and up to at least a dozen people on the canoe trip (we are limited by the number of boats.) Float trip participants will be shuttled back to their cars at 1700 South in the S’PLORE van, and their bikes will be guarded by a watchman during the float trip. You’ll not only learn about our plan for the river corridor, but will also learn paddling and river running safety skills from the professinoal river guides of S’PLORE.

October 29, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm: the itinerary, schedule and activities for this second “mulimodal” (bike/float) trip will be identical to those of the Oct. 22 trip described above.

Pedal in the City: Biking the Jordan River Parkway Trail

It’s summer and time to do some recreational biking! As we eagerly anticipate the bridge to be built, connecting the last section of unfinished trail, it is still easy to travel this path for for 50 miles from Utah Lake north to the Great Salt Lake through Davis, Salt Lake and Utah Counties! On any given day, one can see individuals and families pedaling the Jordan Parkway Trail. How much do you know about this wonderful asset?

There are resources to help you get started on this journey. Here are two:

Jordan River Commission provides a digital guide, map and information on the river itself:

http://jordanrivercommission.com/jordan-river-parkway-trail-map/

Bike SLC provides maps also, but additional information on the master plan, municipalities along the trail, and more:

http://www.bikeslc.com/jordanrivertrail/default.html
Remember your helmet and water and sunblock before you set out – and have fun!

Community Partners Focus on Jordan River Parkway Trail and North Temple

The University Neighborhood Partnership (UNP) West Side Studio has worked alongside the neighborhoods for years and has listened to many ideas and hopes for our community. Fairpark Community Council Board Members and the UNP joined together to explore ideas and opinions from people who live in the area. These people are the treasure of the neighborhood, and their voices will help facilitate the best plan forward regarding connections between the Jordan River Parkway and North Temple.

Three topical areas were the focus of discussion in the groups, led by Community Council leaders and facilitated by University of Utah students. Two areas involved three focus groups from Fairpark:

1) Improving/enhancing bikability/walkability (e.g. explore adding bike sharing stations at various points along the river and/or at the North Temple/Parkway intersection)

2) Inform planning for signage and wayfinding along the river (e.g. explore preferred content, languages, look, etc.)
Focus groups met in March at various locations. The outcomes of the ideas generated by these meetings will be presented on May 4, 2016 at 3:30pm at the Northwest Community Center. All are welcome!