For the first time ever, Midvale’s leaders have a long-term vision for managing the city’s parks and trail system.

The Midvale Parks, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan was unanimously approved by the council on Dec. 2. The plan provides the city with a roadmap for maintaining and expanding the parks and trails network over the next 10 years.

The comprehensive plan is broken down into short, medium, and long-term phases. The most immediate phase focuses primarily on maintenance, safety and community outreach. The long-term vision involves expanding the trail system and constructing new park facilities, which would require ample funding over the coming decade.

“We often say that in order to get people to use trails, you need to create a journey that's as desirable as the destinations,” Ryan Wallace, the project manager from MHTN Architects, told the council in November. “So … some of the elements that can do that [are] high comfort facilities, things that make movement intuitive [and] easy to do for families and residents of all ages and abilities.”

Midvale’s goal is to maintain the current level of park and trail services over the next decade. To meet that goal, the city would need to invest about $1.8 million to keep up with population growth, according to the Parks and Trails Impact Fee Facilities Plan prepared by Zions Public Finance.

City staff partnered with MHTN Architects and Zions Public Finance to develop Midvale’s long-term objectives. The consultants aided in an analysis of the city’s parks and trail system, according to a staff report written by Community Development Director Adam Olsen.

That analysis found that residents west of I-15 are well served by Midvale’s parks and trail network, but residents east of the freeway face gaps in service, Olsen told the Planning Commission in October.

“And we're looking to close those gaps over time and how we can expand that network,” he said. “Whether it's through acquisition of property [or] through partnerships with … the school district or the county.”

Some areas for eastern expansion suggested in the master plan include State Street, Fort Union Boulevard and the Jordan and Salt Lake City Canal.

Currently, Midvale manages 86.8 acres of parkland, amounting to 2.54 acres per thousand people. The National Park Service recommends that cities offer 10 acres of parks per thousand people, the Master Plan notes.

Emily Singh, a planner and community engagement specialist at MHTN, helped conduct a survey of Midvale residents. The survey found that 25% of the respondents used the city’s parks and trails daily. The most common desire expressed by the 234 participants was adding more trails throughout the city.  

Many of the residents polled said they would like a bridge installed to connect Bingham Junction Park and the Jordan River Parkway Trail to improve safety and convenience. 

In October, the city council passed a Transportation Connectivity Plan, which included adding a bridge between the community park and pathway as one of its priority projects in seeking state funding.

The survey also found that 61% of the respondents believe it’s very important for the city’s park and trail network to be environmentally sustainable. And the master plan suggests getting the Midvale community more involved in conserving the parklands.

As for maintenance costs, Singh said one way to generate revenue for the long-term plan is through park services.

“This might be more likely for Midvale City Park during events and other things as ways to offset maintenance costs and reinvest back into the system,” she said to the planning commission in October.

One-time impact fees on new residential developments can also help fund citywide park improvements. Olsen said figuring out how much the levy will cost developers is the next step for city staff.

Map showing parks' level of service and gaps in services throughout Midvale. (Courtesy of Midvale City)