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Lehi voters to decide on $50 million bond issue for parks, recreation October 17, 2016, 11:18 amOn Nov. 8 when they go to the polls, Lehi voters will decide whether they'll support a $50 million general obligation bond issue to pay for additional parks and trails in the community. City leaders say there's an immediate need for additional parks and trails to "preserve our quality of life, maintain our city's small-town feel and support desired sports programming." In the October city newsletter, Mayor Bert Wilson wrote, "As a city we recently completed a blind study completed by an outside agency to determine attitudes and opinions regarding recreation in Lehi. The survey found that Lehi residents would just as soon pay for a $50 million bond when compared to $30 million in order to preserve our quality of life and improve our parks and recreation facilities. The difference is just a few dollars a month. After prioritizing necessary projects, we determined that $50 million is what is needed in order to make the necessary improvements and get our parks up to date." Projects that would be funded with the $50 million, which is scheduled to be paid back over 20 years, include two new parks, Rhodes-Mellor Park ($21 million) and Peck Park ($8 million); land purchases for future parks ($11 million); trail improvements ($3 million); and capital improvements at more than 26 city and neighborhood parks. (A complete list of the projects can be found at letsplaylehi.com.) Rhodes-Mellor Park would include five baseball fields, three soccer fields, multiple playgrounds, competitive soccer/multipurpose fields, restrooms and a "shade structure." Amenities for Peck Park are currently being determined. The trails funding would be used to develop trails in the southwest Lehi and Traverse Mountain areas. With the funding, officials say all the projects could be completed in three years. However, opponents say that a bond issue is not the right way to pay for these improvements. "This is not a vote about whether Lehi should have more parks and trails. Few would disagree that Lehi can benefit from more such amenities. What this vote is about is whether yet another tax increase is the appropriate way to fund such projects," resident Conner Boyak writes in the voter information pamphlet sent to residents. "There's another way - a better way. It first requires voting against this irresponsible proposal and then coming together as a community to rally around the projects we want to make happen," Boyak continues. City leaders say that the monthly cost to residents would be $14.06 on a $281,600 primary residence with businesses and secondary residents paying $25.75. (Source: letsplaylehi.com. The website includes a chart where residents can estimate what they would pay.) The city has set up a website, letsplaylehi.com, and previously held an open house to provide residents with information on the proposal. A second open house will be held on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at Eaglecrest Elementary School, 2760 N. 300 West, Lehi. The community news source for Eagle Mountain Utah, Saratoga Springs Utah, Lehi Utah, American Fork Utah, Highland Utah, Alpine Utah, and The Cedar Valley, including Cedar Fort Utah and Fairfield Utah. Copyright 2024 The Crossroads Journal LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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