Chapter Eleven
PARKS, RECREATION, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE
PARKS, RECREATION, TRAILS AND OPEN SPACE
The City of West Jordan has an abundance of natural and developed recreational amenities that play an important role in the quality of life for those who live and work in the City. Of the 967 acres of parks, open space and other facilities that serve the community, there are 247 acres of Regional Parks, Community Parks and Neighborhood Parks that are within the City’s control.
In addition to City owned parks, there are other recreational facilities such as the Mountain View Golf Course, River Oaks Golf Course, Gene Fullmer Recreation Center, and numerous privately owned and maintained parks and open spaces which also help to meet the recreational needs of the City.
This chapter of the General Plan contains the high-level vision, policies and goals that will lead the City in the development of its parks, recreation, trails and open spaces. The West Jordan Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Space Master Plan, which was adopted on November 4, 2019, is the detailed supporting document designed to implement, the long-term concepts, goals and objectives of the General Plan.
General Policies for Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Space
• Guide the development of parks, recreation facilities and programs, and trails in West Jordan for the future.
• Provide an integrated, connected, and diverse system of parks, recreation programs, and trails that are physically, and economically accessible to community members.
• Provide recreation opportunities to City residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maintain communications between administration, public officials, and residents to ensure that recreation facilities and programs continue to meet the needs of the community.
• Design and construct park and recreation facilities that conserve natural resources such as water and set an example for the community.
• Provide a Citywide connected system of trails to serve recreational needs, as well as the needs of bicycle commuters and pedestrians.
• Encourage the most efficient use of land and resources in order to provide the citizens with the greatest benefit.
Parks
The City currently has 46 parks with over half being acquired or developed since 2000.
West Jordan has two regional parks: the Veterans Memorial Park (69 acres) located on the east side of the City and the Ron Wood Park (30.4 acres) located on the west side of the city. Regional parks are generally greater than 30 acres in size.
Community parks which are smaller than regional parks (10 to 30 acres) have a community-wide draw but at a smaller scale. There are currently two community parks in the City, the Utah Youth Soccer Complex Phase I and Constitution Park.
Neighborhood parks are typically 4 to 10 acres in size and are designed to serve surrounding neighborhoods not necessarily within walking distance of the park.
Mini parks are typically less than 4 acres in size and serve adjoining neighborhoods.
The West Jordan Parks, Recreation, Trails and Open Space Master Plan contains an inventory and description of existing parks and amenities, a parks distribution analysis, a detailed level of service evaluation, and addresses what park and park acreages are required to meet community needs through buildout. The master plan also details what amenities are needed for each type of park and addresses deficiencies by level of service amenities required to meet park standards.
Source: WEST JORDAN PARKS, RECREATION AND TRAILS MASTER PLAN
The master plan states that in the next 10 years, 53.5 acres of the undeveloped City- owned land needs to be developed into parks to meet project needs and an additional 137 acres of developed parks by buildout in 2060.
Over the past 10 years, the City has undertaken several park projects. The largest of these was the design and construction of the initial phase for Ron Wood Park, which was finished in 2015. This 10-acre project established a new regional park west of the Mountain View Corridor, providing a new ½- acre splash pad, playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, walking paths, restrooms and a paved trail along a natural wash. Pickleball courts were constructed in 2021. An additional 24 acres of adjacent City-owned land remains vacant but will be developed to expand the park in the future.
The City has also re-developed the Wild West Jordan Playground across from the West Jordan Library in Veterans Memorial Park. All of the original structures were torn down in 2018 and new equipment was built in its place, which included western-theme slides, ramps, climbing features, swings, picnic tables, shade covers and benches. The original water tower near the entrance was left intact.
More recently, the City completed a new neighborhood park at 6400 West and 7400 South, known as Maple Hills Park.
Other Park projects that have been completed within the past 10 years include grading renovations to Constitution Park and the installation of identification monument signs in all parks.
During the first few months of 2021, the City conducted a public survey to gauge citizen interest in improving, developing or re-developing parks, trails, recreation and open space.
Residents were asked what they would like to see developed or redeveloped in the City, of which 12% of the responses were related to parks, recreation, trails and open land. The number of comments related to parks, trails, recreation and open space were virtually equal for all categories, with trails and parks comprising a slight majority.
The survey also asked participants which park improvements were the most important to them, with the results being similar to the comments provided for the development/re- development question. Expanding the City’s trail system was the most popular option (32%) and maintaining existing parks at a higher level was the second-most popular option (30%). Other options included the development of more park acreage (23%) and expanding sports opportunities (15%).
Source: Surveyed Residents
Former Wild West Jordan Playground removal. Now an all-ability playground sits in its place.
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