Home Care In Glendale, UT

Two acres of land in Glendale will forever be dedicated to urban agriculture needs, thanks to two non-profits.

Wasatch Community Gardens secured a ‘forever home’ for one of its farms, which will be located on banks of the Surplus Canal in Salt Lake City's Glendale neighborhood. The new green space will be called Farm Hub.

The Organization partnered with Utah Open Lands to place a conservation easement to prevent the land from being bought out by another entity.

“But we've never had a permanent home for our farm. And so this is a really big deal for us to be able to have a permanent home for our farm” said Georgina Griffith-Yates, executive director of Wasatch Community Gardens. “And so being able to focus more on the growing and eating part of our mission is a huge win for our community.”

According to Griffith-Yates the land was previously owned by a local resident of the area who also wanted see a legacy of agriculture continue in their community.

“So this land was partially donated, and then we purchased the rest to be able to find this forever home,” Griffith-Yates added.

This news is a long time coming for the organization that has relied on leases for their community gardens and farms.

Farm hub will serve as a space for learning and a job training program location for women experiencing homeless. There will be classes, workshops and resources.

Wasatch Community Garden offered the same services at their Green Phoenix farm, however, the lease on the land has ended.

Griffith-Yates says that this new site, which will open in 2025 and is all a part of a five-year growth plan for Wasatch Community Gardens. The organization hopes to expand beyond women who are facing and experiencing homelessness and dig more into local small farmers who need support either education, materials, tools and more

“It's really crucial that we do this right now,” Griffith-Yates said. “Because there is a dire need in our community to preserve green space, and to have more local food in our food system. Only 2% of the fruits and vegetables that we consume in Utah are grown in Utah, it's crucial for us that we're continuing to perpetuate that backyard gardening…”

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SALT LAKE CITY — The clock is ticking for the long-awaited Glendale Regional Park to open, and while a proposed bond would substantially increase the funds to build out the park, it's clear that the park will add new features with time.

Katherine Maus, a public lands planner for the Salt Lake City Parks and Public Lands Department, updated the Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday regarding the proposed opening day plans, including a likely starting point as it finishes up a final draft of a park master plan.

"We're currently designing for an impactful Phase 1 to open to the public in 2024," she told members of the council.

The division has a deadline to open the park by April 2024 — 18 months from now — because of a requirement tied to past federal funds that the site received when it was a water park. The funds require that the space remain an open space that can only be closed off to the public for six years; Raging Waters/Seven Peaks closed down in 2018, which is when the timeline to reopen the park began.

The proposed regional park came to light in 2021, meaning that the department has had a short window to tear down the old water park and replace it with the park. Some "unforeseen circumstances" in tearing down the abandoned water park have tightened the window, according to Maus.

A phased system will help the department open the park by April 2024 to meet the deadline, even if it's not the final project.

The first phase would include a trail connection, a picnic lawn, an all-ages and abilities playground, a pavilion/shade structure, a multi-use sports court with pickleball and basketball courts, a community plaza, an undeveloped hill with possible art installations and a kayak rental locker, in addition to utilizing an existing boat ramp. The park would also include a parking lot and interim food truck parking space, according to the first-phase elements outlined by the department.

These projects were selected because they offer the most to cover what community members have said they want, with what can be feasibly completed on time, Maus said.

"We're currently working with our consultants, Design Workshop, toward the design of Phase 1 to meet this deadline," she said.

Nearly all of the park's projects would be included within the center portion of the 17-acre plot of land. This allows for the park to remain open while future phases are constructed. It also provides for some connections to the Jordan River Parkway Trail and the 17th South River Park to allow for a "contiguous park experience" within the first phase of the Glendale Regional Park, she said.

"Additionally, in order for this park to be successful, we recognize the need for immediate opportunities for programming and activation to get people onto the site right away," she continued. "This community plaza and promenade provides infrastructure for markets, food trucks and events."

In essence, visitors will have to lower their expectations before they get to see the "bright, vibrant, lively space" replacement for Raging Waters that is in the current draft master plan of the park envisions. A public pool, ice/roller skating ribbon, a skateboarding feature and a riverside beach large enough for volleyball are among the projects that would be would be included in future phases.

Related:

Salt Lake City envisions 'bright and colorful' replacement for Raging Waters

The future of the demolished Raging Waters may be as "bright and colorful" as the old water park's slides were.

The plan is set to be delivered to Salt Lake City Planning Commission either later this month or in November. The council may vote to finalize the master plan by the end of the year.

"I really, really hope that this happens and I'll do anything in my power to help (with) this project," said Salt Lake City Councilman Alejandro Puy, whose district includes Glendale.

As for construction, Maus said that some of the Phase 1 items could be "scaled back" because of ongoing inflation. The project currently has $3.2 million in impact fees — one-time fees that developers pay at the construction of new buildings that go toward projects like parks. The Glendale Regional Park could also receive $27 million from a proposed $85 million general obligation bond, which Salt Lake City voters will decide on next month.

Salt Lake City Councilman Darin Mano said he has a "pretty high level of confidence" that the bond will pass given the demand for park space in the city, but asked the department if there's a backup plan should the bond fail.

If it fails, the department will seek a budget amendment to complete the first phase of construction, Maus responded. She added the city could look into state, federal and private funding sources, or even look at using city capital improvement spending on the project, though it likely wouldn't provide as much money and would be a slower process as compared to the bond passing.

That means the bigger park projects are still expected to happen in the future regardless of whether the bond passes; however, the bond will dictate how quickly the projects come to fruition.

Meanwhile, some members of the council expressed concerns about relying on community programs to help the park out in its initial phase. Salt Lake City Councilwoman Amy Fowler said the city has struggled in the past to provide what the community wants and hopes that's not the case in Glendale. This could be the result of many factors, including staff shortages.

"I think that it's important that we're thinking about that now so we have that plan in place," she said.

While the department says it is working with consultants to avoid problems with community programming, only time will tell if that's an issue as the park opens in 2024.

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SALT LAKE CITY — Leaders of Utah's capital city are close to finalizing plans for the new Glendale Regional Park, which is set to replace the old Raging Waters water park that used to exist on the city's west side.

The Salt Lake City Council received a presentation of the proposed final version of the Glendale Regional Park Plan during a meeting Tuesday. The council is tentatively scheduled to vote on whether to adopt the plan later this month.

The plan serves as an outlook of what the city wants to do as it expands the park, while also establishing what park programming will look like in the future. The park is scheduled to open next year and expand with time.

"(It) will guide future improvements and the development of Glendale Regional Park," said Katherine Maus, a planner for Salt Lake City's public lands department. "The plan incorporates programming, operations and maintenance needs; outlines physical improvements for the site; and makes recommendations for additional exploration in the future."

The proposed final plan

Most of the plan hasn't changed since the department unveiled its initial renderings for the 17-acre space last year. Maus explained that the final plan "relies heavily" on input provided by Glendale residents, such as showcasing "the unique and diverse culture" of the community while also adding amenities that people from across the city may enjoy.

"Ultimately, we want this park to be a vision led by the community and for it to reflect the neighborhood's culture, diversity and needs," she said. "It needs to be a park that increases equitable access to nature and recreation, and to provide programming and entertainment at low or no cost."

Nearly 1,700 people of all ages and backgrounds provided feedback on the park over the past two years either through meetings, events or online surveys. This helped the staff pinpoint projects desired by the community.

The full build-out, which may take several years to complete, calls for:

This plan also calls for an on-site programming manager and two part-time seasonal park attendants tied to ongoing operations. This includes programming tied to fitness activities, nature walks and viewings, arts and crafts classes, lectures and more.

"One of the top priorities of this community and the city is to have the creation of a safe space with high levels of programming to make it just really welcoming," Maus explained. "It was pretty clear that programming would be super essential to the site to keep it safe, usable and engaging as it comes online."

The new space could allow for events, festivals and activities that are currently "maxed out" at other parks in the city, added Kristin Riker, director of Salt Lake City Public Lands. She said Liberty Park is filled out about every weekend.

Allison Rowland, a budget and policy analyst for the city, said these and other programming plans may result in annual costs of a little more than $600,000. That's because the city doesn't currently have a system in place to provide all of the proposed recommendations.

During Tuesday's meeting, Salt Lake City Council Chairman Darin Mano suggested the department find partners that could help provide programming while also lessening the cost burden.

Dealing with rising costs

The project originally had only $3.2 million, which came from fees developers pay the city with new construction and are used for parks and other public spaces. However, it's set to receive $27 million in the near future from general obligation bonds issued by the city after residents approved the measure in November.

That might be enough to cover the rest of the project, but it also may be just the beginning.

The current cost estimate to fully implement the plan now ranges between $30 million and $50 million because of "relatively high inflation in the construction industry," according to Rowland, who wrote about the finances in a memo to the Salt Lake City Council ahead of Tuesday's meeting.

"The funds for many of the features and activities have not yet been identified," she added during the meeting. "This means that full implementation of the plan will be contingent on funding availability year-to-year, typically. ... (We) will have to have more precise estimates as we go along, so (the cost range) will narrow."

What to expect as construction begins

At the same time, the park must open by April 2024 as a requirement tied to past federal funds that the site received when it was a water park. The two factors are why the Salt Lake City Parks and Public Lands officials decided to open the park in phases.

Since the bond funds aren't available just yet, city officials approved a budget amendment in December that included $4.35 million in funds to implement the first phase of the park. Maus said construction on the initial park amenities will begin this summer because crews have finally finished demolition of the old water park.

Public lands officials have cautioned residents that the park won't open with all its amenities and features, which is why they are urging people to lower their expectations for April 2024. But they do believe that the first phase of construction will be complete by the deadline.

The initial phase will include an undeveloped hillside with space to run around, an outdoor basketball court, a pavilion and a playground. Access to the Jordan River in the area will also remain open, allowing for more nature-oriented programming to begin.

The council is expected to vote on the plan during its March 21 meeting. While there might be some final tweaks to it, members of the council appeared to be thrilled that the project is moving forward.

"I think we're all really excited about this new amenity on the west side," Mano said.

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Recovery on Redwood is VOA’s biggest Utah campus and adds 50 more beds for residential patients.

Phone booths and rows of individual restrooms signal what a new Volunteers of America campus could mean for men in its detoxification program — a more private and dignified space meant to overcome a challenging process.

For administrators, the building means the ability to admit the people they had to reject every day at their old facility at 252 W. Brooklyn Ave. (1025 South) in Salt Lake City.

Recovery on Redwood, the new 75,000-square-foot campus at 1875 S. Redwood Road in the city’s Glendale neighborhood, is the largest one Volunteers of America Utah owns and has immediately increased the organization’s intake capacity by 50 beds. It also acts as the agency’s administrative headquarters and counseling center.

“We’ve been turning away about 10 people a day who request detox services,” Kathy Bray, president and CEO of Volunteers of America Utah, said. “And that’s just a huge need in the community that many people can’t get in because we don’t have enough beds.”

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kathy Bray, president and CEO for Volunteers of America Utah, talks about the opening of their new facility — Recovery on Redwood in Glendale on Friday, July 14, 2023. The new 75,000-square-foot campus increases bed capacity from 80 to 130 as it looks to increase help for Utahns battling substance abuse addiction.

The first floor has 130 beds, many of which are now covered in plastic, but as soon as July 17, will be occupied by men in treatment for substance abuse.

Other features include a larger kitchen, which, at full capacity, will serve 200 meals three times a day, individual rooms for meetings with caseworkers and privacy booths to allow users to attend virtual court, medical or mental health appointments.

Though the construction included a designated space for women, it still is uncertain whether the center will become available for them. Men’s demands for detox services double those of women, Bray said. So the organization will analyze the expansion demand for men this year before deciding whether to introduce women to the building.

For now, women’s programs will remain at a 30-bed location at 697 W. 4170 South in Murray that allows them to live with their young children on-site.

“No matter what, we’re expanding 50 beds,” she said. “We’ll decide whether we bring [women] here in the long run and do some additional expansion, or whether we let them stay out there in Murray and just have men in here.”

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Briawna Carlisle, a recovery assistant, points out a privacy booth for clients attending virtual court, medical, or mental health appointments at Volunteers of America’s new facility — Recovery on Redwood on Friday, July 14, 2023. The new 75,000-square-foot campus looks to help more Utahns battle substance abuse addiction.

The second floor of the new Redwood campus houses Cornerstone, an open-access counseling center for substance use, mental health and domestic violence treatment programs.

Unlike its former office, Cornerstone will no longer need waitlists for its services, said Chae Vidal, director of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.

Since April, when the organization started testing its open access model, they have assisted around four to six patients every day. Those who can’t fit into the therapists’ daily schedules are prioritized for the next day.

That area hosts family waiting rooms, individual and group therapy rooms, and an observation room for parent-child interaction therapy. Cornerstone clients will also have access to free child care while they are in therapy.

“We do serve children and families,” Vidal said. “I think another place where we kind of have strength is including families in treatment as much as possible.”

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A life coaching room which provides the opportunity for a therapist to observe parents interactions with their child is part of a guided tour by the Volunteers of America of their new facility — Recovery on Redwood in Glendale on Friday, July 14, 2023. The new 75,000-square-foot campus houses detoxification services and Cornerstone Counseling Services as it helps people on the road to recovery.

The Brooklyn Avenue site, which hosted the men’s detox program for more than three decades, will be repurposed into a residential mental health facility for men experiencing homelessness.

To pay for this project, Volunteers of America gathered $7 million in funding from the state, the philanthropic group Utah Impact Partnership and other individual donations.

For some people like Briawna Carlisle, a recovery assistant, helping set up a larger place with important amenities that could make the detox process easier, makes her think of her own recuperation and the sobriety stories she has heard during the past years. The campus would most likely multiply them.

“I like working with this community because I understand it and I have been there, and so I have a lot of empathy and compassion for these people that are going through this,” she said, “and I want to give them hope for change.”

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sabrina Carey, left, and Briawna Carlisle, both recovery assistants for the Volunteers of America, talk about the Journey dorm room during a tour of the new facility — Recovery on Redwood on Friday, July 14, 2023. The new 75,000-square-foot campus looks to help more Utahns battle substance abuse addiction.

Alixel Cabrera is a Report for America corps member and writes about the status of communities on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4 Utah) – What does a Utah sports living legend do in his spare time? Well, if you are Coach Ron McBride, you roll up your sleeves and help raise money to build a running track at Glendale Middle School in Salt Lake City. The Ron McBride Track is a project McBride’s foundation, The Ron McBride Foundation, and The Salt Lake Education Foundation are working on together. The ultimate goal is to add a track around the existing soccer field at Glendale Middle School and purchase track field equipment for students and the surrounding school community can use.

So far the foundations have raised $60,000 for the Ron McBride Track project at Glendale Middle School. They say they need another $190,000 to complete the project.

The foundations’ organizers say they would also like to raise enough money to hire an athletic director and two more paid coaches to help grow the school’s intermural program so it can allow more student participation. McBride says his foundation is behind this effort wholeheartedly because he believes students and families must have a safe place in the community to exercise and be active.

Salt Lake City’s Glendale Neighborhood has many wrap-around services for the current population; however, many of those services are hard to access for students and their families, says James Yapias, Director of The Salt Lake Education Foundation. Yapias add, that families must travel across town during evening hours to access a track to be able to walk and keep families healthy within their communities. Due to the time and travel constraints thrust upon families, it was proposed by the Glendale Community students, parents, and community leaders to build a track named after Ron McBride.

Glendale Middle School (GMS) is located on the Westside of Salt lake City, Utah. The school is part of a community school campus that serves an incredibly diverse student population of 1,500 Pre-K through 8th grade students. The campus includes Mountain View Elementary School and the Glendale-Mountain View Community Learning Center. The middle school has a 35% mobility rate and 45% of the students are English Language Learners. Collectively, students speak more than 28 different languages and come from countries that span the globe.

Shared campus goals are to increase student achievement by removing barriers to learning, building authentic school-community relationships, and providing programming that leads to a healthier community.

To learn more about the Ron McBride Track or to support the cause, visit TheRonMcBrideFoundation.org.