3 RECREATION, COMMUNITY ARTS & EVENTS

Recreation facilities and programs add an additional layer to the array of recreation and fitness options in West Jordan, while community arts and events enhance residents' quality of life through opportunities for inspiration, creative expression, and community gathering and celebration. Ensuring that access to both is adequate is an essential City function.

SURVEY RESULTS: RECREATION AND COMMUNITY EVENTS

The statistically-valid survey asked several questions focused on recreation and community events. A summary of key results follows. Detailed responses can be viewed in Appendix A: Public Involvement.

EXISTING FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS

Recreation needs of West Jordan residents are primarily met through the programs and facilities at the Gene Fuller Recreation Center, which is owned and operated by Salt Lake County and located in Veterans Memorial Park. Additional programs are provided by private sports clubs that utilize City- owned fields and other fields and facilities along the Wasatch Front. Other needs are met through private gym and recreation facilities.

Gene Fullmer Recreation and Fitness Center

The Gene Fuller Recreation and Fitness Center, which opened in 2000, features the Miracle League Field of Dreams fully-accessible baseball field, indoor lap and leisure pools, an outdoor pool, a fitness room, a group fitness studio, a gym, and a multipurpose room for birthday and party rentals. Drop-in day care is offered year-round.

Salt Lake County offers a broad variety of recreation programs which are called out on the following page.

County recreation programs utilize a wide variety of fields and facilities in the City, including the Gene Fullmer Recreation and Fitness Center, the Ron Wood Baseball Complex, the Utah Youth Soccer Complex, and other programmable fields.

West Jordan Senior Center

The West Jordan Senior Citizen Center serves residents over age 60 with opportunities to engage with others in the community and enrich their lives through classes, games and other activities. The center is open Monday through Friday, offering a daily lunch; a broad array of arts, crafts, health, exercise, and computer classes and programs; and games like bingo and bridge. The center is co-located with the Gene Fullmer Recreation and Fitness Center at Veterans Memorial Park and is operated by Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services.

Private Sports Clubs

Private clubs that serve the West Jordan community include Razzia Soccer, Liverpool Soccer, Utah Soccer Alliance, West Jordan United Soccer, Pony Baseball, Rocky Mountain School of Baseball and United States Specialty Sports Association. While most club teams include players from the City, some include a significant number of players from outside the City as well. The West Jordan Youth Soccer is a recreational program that is affiliated with Utah Youth Soccer Association (UYSA) and acts as a feeder to the club teams and to a Real Salt Lake junior team.

Focus interviews with the various club representatives indicated that the biggest challenge for nearly all groups is not having enough fields to play on. The City has prioritized those programs that serve the highest proportion of City residents, so programs offered through the Gene Fullmer Fitness Center and West Jordan Youth Soccer have prioritized field usage ahead of the private clubs. The private clubs would like to see additional fields provided where possible, and several indicated a willingness to partner with the City on funding new facilities in exchange for priority field usage.

Additional issues mentioned by club representatives include the lack of adequate parking at existing facilities; the need for facilities that can accommodate tournaments; the need to upgrade existing facilities, particularly at Veterans Memorial Park; fair access for small, independent organizations; better communication and an easier system for reserving fields; and the need for restrooms at parks with programmed fields. The pending shutdown of the soccer complex was also indicated as a major concern for the soccer clubs in particular.

Other Recreation Facilities

West Jordan is served by a handful of additional recreational facilities that serve unique user groups and are typically pay-to-play facilities. For example, the West Jordan Rodeo Arena located at Veterans Memorial Park is site of the West Jordan Stampede, which is the most popular community event held by the City. The facility features an outdoor arena, an outdoor practice arena and holding and staging areas. The facility is used for training and other equestrian uses throughout the year.

The City is served by two golf courses. Mountain View Golf Course is an 18-hole public golf course located in the southeast part of the City that is owned and operated by Salt Lake County. Riverview Golf Course is an 18- hole public golf course that spans the boundary between West Jordan and Sandy City. The course is owned and operated by Sandy City.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

The City hosts a variety of events throughout the year to provide opportunities for the community to come together in celebration, service, education and fun. A list of major City events follows.

COMMUNITY ARTS

West Jordan City has an active Arts Council which promotes art and cultural events and activities in the community. The council hosts regular exhibits at the Schorr Gallery in City Hall; live performances by the West Jordan City Band, West Jordan Symphony, Western Chorale and Youth Theater; and a variety of activities in the literary arts throughout the year.