Already confirmed to be an asset to Provo in its quick existence, Epic Sports activities Park lives as much as its title. With two profitable tournaments, the sports activities facility, as soon as totally constructed, would be the solely one among its variety in Utah – with 21 multi-purpose fields, 45 pickleball courts, two playgrounds and strolling paths.
The final event earlier than the top of the season included over 140 groups and lasted 4 days. In response to statistics from Discover Utah Valley and the Conference and Guests Bureau, about Four,000 lodge rooms have been booked in Utah Valley and Salt Lake County, in accordance with Provo Metropolis Parks and Recreation Director Doug Robins.
“The native influence on the economic system in these two tournaments was one thing like $Three.1 million in native spending from folks exterior the neighborhood,” he mentioned.
However whereas metropolis officers are celebrating its early successes, the park stays a piece in progress — and never everyone seems to be cheering. Some residents specific frustrations about restricted entry to the fields and confusion about whether or not the power is really public or personal.
Proximity to the Provo Airport and surrounded by the Wasatch Mountain Vary, the views and temperate summers make the situation enticing to many out-of-state athletes.
“There was a mother who talked to us throughout one of many tournaments they usually're from San Diego and he or she mentioned her youngsters requested her if they might transfer right here” due to the views, the supervisor at Epic Sports activities Park mentioned, Cole Walker. . “And I'm from California, and anyone who says they're from San Diego and desires to maneuver right here for some soccer fields, that's fairly cool.”
Epic Sports activities park supervisor Rylin Patterson advised the Deseret Information they’re in communication with out-of-state sports activities packages to compete on the Utah facility as a result of the warmth is insufferable in different areas of the nation, corresponding to Texas and Arizona.
“There's sufficient demand right here for his or her sport they usually're trying to play in higher climate, on actual grass that doesn't soften their cleats on synthetic turf,” Patterson mentioned.
Funding and floodplains
A “visionary idea” greater than 10 years within the making, Robins defined, “It's been a part of all of our planning paperwork right here within the metropolis, together with our grasp plan, our parks and recreation grasp plan, the southwest precinct plan after which our plan. capital enchancment plan through the years and that provides us the go-ahead to make use of the financing.”
Positioned simply east of Utah Lake, it took eight years to boost the park website from a flood plain. The Parks Division partnered with the Provo River Delta Restoration Venture, a federal initiative, to boost the land.
“They did a negotiated settlement the place they excavated that soil and wanted a spot to place it, so we took it right here and compacted it in lifts for Three-Four years,” Robins mentioned . “So we simply received all of the free land that meets our requirements right here and received the entire website out of the floodplain.”
The mission funds was funded from all kinds of funding sources.
“The Utah County Fee contributed $7.5 million to this mission due to its influence on the native economic system all through the valley,” defined Robins. “We've had $5.5 million in federal from the American Rescue Plan Act, and the remaining comes from growth influence tax income right here within the metropolis, after which additionally our recreation, arts and parks taxes on which we accumulate right here, after which we're simply consistently, all the time searching for different companions to hitch to finish the mission.”
Accessibility issues and the struggle for neighborhood enter
The presence of public funding raises essential questions on accessibility, nevertheless it doesn’t essentially imply that the park have to be utterly open and free for public use.
Epic Sports activities Park is a regional sports activities complicated. It was by no means supposed to be a neighborhood park, a priority that many space residents mentioned was miscommunicated to them.
Tiffani Lehmitz, who moved to south Provo when she and her household constructed their dwelling 2 half years in the past, mentioned she feels the town has not been clear concerning the park's function and options, corresponding to fields closed and locked, paid parking and restricted accessibility for neighborhood residents. .
“We don't have a park inside strolling distance of our neighborhood, so folks have been actually excited, however there are all these limitations,” Lehmitz advised the Deseret Information. “I believe the town is fixing a few of these issues. … There was a variety of response from residents the week it opened, nevertheless it simply doesn't look like they actually sought neighborhood enter with this.”
Throughout a neighborhood council assembly, Lehmitz grew to become emotional after sharing an expertise along with her son on the park's grand opening.
“It was very unhappy on the grand opening when my son introduced his soccer ball and mentioned, 'Let's play on the sector.' And I say, Oh, we shouldn't. … And he says, “Can we come again later at the moment?” and like, no, these fields aren't for us.”
Robins advised the Deseret Information that Epic Sports activities Park is in a wholly totally different class than “neighborhood park” within the metropolis's common plan; its major use is for scheduled, organized sports activities relatively than informal, open entry.
“Now we have this dedication to verify the park is accessible, the playgrounds, the strolling paths, the picnic areas and the restrooms” — all for the general public, he mentioned. But it surely additionally follows Provo park hours, that are open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m
He added that the areas are fenced and gated to guard the positioning as cows have wandered into their fields from close by pastures. However he additionally emphasised that the park remains to be an unfinished mission.
“We're engaged on further enhancements to the south that may contain our pickleball complicated in addition to a multipurpose discipline that may have a mix of drop-in play, reserve play and, you realize, league play and event play as nicely,” he mentioned.
One other main concern was site visitors coming via the neighborhoods throughout event occasions within the park.
“We needed to place a radar pace signal as a result of we thought there could be extra site visitors on 600 South,” Lehmitz mentioned. “However although we received all of the funding hours and every little thing, then they ended up placing a radar pace check in one other neighborhood, not even in our neighborhood.”
Lehmitz felt the choice undermined the neighborhood's efforts to handle site visitors and issues of safety straight of their space, which skilled heavy site visitors throughout tournaments. He discovered it irritating and felt that their enter and wishes have been neglected.
When requested how the park handles neighborhood site visitors complaints, Patterson mentioned the town strategically positioned the park's deal with on the far nook to direct park customers to take Lakeview Parkway as an alternative of going via the neighborhoods, however “ there are such a lot of navigation instruments on the market that it's made it actually troublesome.” He mentioned the town's work with its site visitors engineering group is ongoing to repair the issue.
Transferring ahead, Robins mentioned there’s curiosity within the parks and recreation division offering a close-by neighborhood park for native use.
“As a result of it could be a neighborhood park, we’d contain the neighborhood in its design and growth,” he mentioned. “We’re all the time searching for service degree gaps that should be addressed. And we're additionally taking a look at growing parks in these which were ready.”
“Epic Sports activities Park was somewhat totally different as a result of it was a regional metropolis park with a large-scale targeted facility.”
