Once a dream, new Salt Lake City park becomes reality
Authored by Lexie Johnson
Source: Fox 13
Once hidden underneath a parking lot and half-burnt home, the Three Creeks Confluence provides community access to the three creeks that converge there—Red Butte, Emigration, and Parleys.
It took six years of planning and hard work, but now Salt Lake City leaders are celebrating the opening of a new park in the Glendale neighborhood.
Three Creeks Confluence Park sits in an area that was once covered in concrete, old cars and trash near 1300 South and 900 West.
The idea originally came from college students looking to create a green space to connect people with nature, an idea that local leaders were on board with.
“The primary purpose of the park is uncovering the three streams we see behind us, Parleys, Emigration and Red Butte Creek, and the location where they enter the Jordan river,” said Tyler Murdock, project manager for Salt Lake City Public Lands Development.
Organizers say $3 million was raised to build the park, which uncovers 200 feet of stream in a channel, a bridge connecting to the Jordan River Trail and a plaza, as well as boat ramps and art work.
“The Jordan River is often hidden from people, and if you’re on the Parkway Trail you often can’t see the Jordan River, and so this project allows people to get down close to the river, throw rocks in the river, you know, come and have a picnic and actually enjoy the river in a way that hasn’t been done in the past,” said Murdock.
The park is the first to open in the city in five years.
“The Jordan River is Salt Lake City riverwalk, Three Creeks park is in the next place, among others, where you can stop and pause and look around and forget you’re in the city,” said Kyle LaMalfa, board chair of Seven Canyons Trust.
A celebration of the park will be held Friday from 5-9 p.m. with everyone is encouraged to come check it out.
