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Welcome to the Sandy Parks and Trails Master Plan Online Open House!

In Sandy we are proud of all 19 parks within city limits — from the 1.75-mile Tickle Creek Trail, to neighborhood playgrounds, to the 127-acre Sandy River Park.

After more than 20 years, it is time for an update to the Parks & Trails Master Plan. The City is growing, so we need to plan how to serve our community now and in the future.

This site should take about 15 minutes to view. Use the links below to skip to specific information, or click "Get Started" to move through the information in order.

(Para preguntas en español o para recibir una encuesta en español, contacte Travis Rumohr: 971.303.9311, travis.rumohr@jla.us.com)
1
A master plan is a reference document, a little like a map or an owner’s manual. 
2
We conducted community outreach this past spring, including one-on-one interviews, open houses and an online survey. 
3
We combined what we heard from community outreach with our analysis of current parks and trails to determine future improvements. 
4
Draft concept plans for Champion Way, Deer Point Park, Ponder Lane Park, and Community Campus 
5
Learn about the plan moving forward. 

= Page includes questions or opportunities for comment.

Open House Purpose

This online open house will help you learn about:

  • The master plan and its purpose
  • What we’ve heard from the public so far
  • The park and trail improvements we propose

You’ll also have a chance to share your thoughts and ideas.

What is a Master Plan?

A master plan is a reference document, a little like a map or an owner’s manual. In this case, the City of Sandy will use it to help make sure future park and trail projects serve the goals, needs and hopes of residents like you.

Existing Park Inventory

Plan Purpose

The master plan will help us with two things:

  • Identify the necessary parks and trails needed as the city grows.
  • Distribute and build parks and trails equitably, so they serve everyone in the city.

This requires planning both in the short term (including what features the next new park should have) and the long term (including where to acquire land now that will become parks and trails later).

Project Area

Existing Park Inventory
(Click to enlarge - This project will be coordinated with concurrent planning efforts.)

What We've Heard So Far

We conducted community outreach this past spring, including one-on-one interviews, open houses and an online survey. It helped us better understand the community’s needs, barriers, and current conditions related to our parks and trails.

What we heard

  • The most popular park features are unpaved trails, playgrounds, paved multi-use trails and off-leash dog areas.
  • 63 percent of households felt that the condition of existing parks is good or very good.
  • 74 percent feel that the city could use more parks and trails.
  • The top three reasons people visit parks are access to nature, exercise, and to use the playground.
  • Lack of walking and biking connections to parks is a big reason why people don’t visit more often. Other factors are concerns for safety, lack of lighting, and feeling crowded.

Popular amenities

The top five amenities people would like to see more of:

  • Restrooms
  • Indoor swimming pools
  • Natural surface trails
  • Picnic areas and shelters
  • Playgrounds

Natural areas with trails (74%) are the most popular type of park in Sandy. Community parks (58%) and neighborhood parks (52%) are also popular.

Community goals

We heard the following goals from the community:

  • Develop a stronger trail network to improve connection between parks by:
    • Creating a loop trail around the city
    • Improving the safety of walking and biking crossings on Highways 26 and 211
  • Acquire and develop community parks, such as the Sandy Community Campus, with recreation for the entire community (including sports fields, skate parks, bicycle pump tracks, and other unique features).
  • Develop a few new neighborhood parks to fill service-area gaps.
  • Improve access to certain types of amenities, such as a splash pad north of Highway 26 and a dog park south of Highway 26.
Meinig Park
Meinig Park
Sandy River Park
Sandy River Park
Sandy Parks Open House
Sandy Park and Trail System Master Plan in-person open house earlier this year.

Proposed Improvements

We combined what we heard from community outreach with our analysis of current parks and trails. This will help us determine the park system’s needs and priorities for the next 15 years.

The park system master plan identifies gaps in services and ways to fill them as our community grows.

Review the maps and answer the questions below.

Proposed Park Inventory Map

The park system map shows where we might acquire land for new parks. Many proposed parks are in the Urban Growth Boundary or the Urban Reserve Boundary and would serve new areas of the city.

Proposed Park Inventory Map
(Click to enlarge)

Proposed Trail System Map

The trail system map shows potential local and regional trails. Some are also shown in the Transportation System Master Plan and other regional planning documents.

Proposed Trail System Map
(Click to enlarge)

Questions

Do you feel that the proposed park system map will serve the needs of the growing community? (Check one.)
Do you feel that the proposed trail system map will serve the needs of the growing community? (Check one.)
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Park Concepts

Sandy has four undeveloped parcels that could become new parks: Champion Way, Deer Point, Ponder Lane, and Sandy Community Campus.


Park Types

The city is considering two park types.

Neighborhood Parks

Champion Way, Deer Point and Ponder Lane are classified as Neighborhood Parks to serve neighbors within walking distance (up to a half-mile). Neighborhood parks often include playgrounds, picnic areas and open lawn areas. They sometimes include splash pads, sport courts, community gardens, dog off-leash areas and other amenities.

Community Park

Sandy Community Campus is classified as a Community Park that will serve the entire community. Along with the amenities of a Neighborhood Park, it might also include a skatepark, sports fields, restrooms and parking.

Champion Way Neighborhood Park

Champion Way is an existing site of just under one acre on the west side of Sandy, just south of Highway 26 and the Sandy Cinema. It does not yet have park amenities.

Park concept

  • Public access from all three street frontages:
    • A stairway on Champion Way due to the steep terrain.
    • Accessible paths from the alley and Chula Vista Avenue.
    • A stairway at the Chula Vista entrance for access up the hill and into the park.
  • The entries would connect to a loop trail in the central area of the park.
  • The playground would be at the north end of the park.
  • An open lawn area would be next to the picnic shelter and playground.
  • The park would have picnic tables throughout.
  • The south boundary would have trees as a buffer for the houses nearby.
Champion Way Park Concept
(Click to enlarge)

Questions

How well do you like the layout of features in the Champion Way Park concept? (Check one.)

Deer Point Neighborhood Park

Deer Point is an existing 1.4 acre park on the east side of Sandy, just south of Highway 26 and Sandy Vista apartments. The park is undeveloped, but neighbors use it for dog walking.

Park concept

  • Meadow Avenue and Fawn Street would get sidewalks.
  • A paved, accessible trail through the park would form two loops with the sidewalks along the street.
  • A trail would connect to the sidewalk along Highway 26.
  • The north portion of the site would have a picnic shelter next to the loop trail and playground.
  • The central portion of the park would have a large multi-use field.
  • The south end of the park would have a basketball half-court or other sport court. 
  • If the park were expanded east, the trail loop could expand along with an additional picnic shelter and picnic areas.  Amenities such as disc golf, a bicycle pump track and/or more walking trails might also be possible.
Deer Point Park Concept
(Click to enlarge)

Questions

How well do you like the layout of features in the Deer Point Park concept? (Check one.)

Ponder Lane Neighborhood Park

Ponder Lane is a recently acquired parcel of just under two acres on the south side of Sandy, just west of Highway 211.  The City Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) was recently expanded to include the rural area around the park.

Park concept

  • Pedestrian access is possible from Ponder Lane in the northeast corner, a future street in the northwest corner, and potentially Highway 211 in the southeast corner.
  • Gunderson Road would get a sidewalk connecting to an ADA-accessible paved loop trail within the park.
  • The northeast corner would have a playground next to the trail and picnic areas.
  • A fenced, off-leash dog area would occupy the south portion of the park.
  • The center of the park would have a picnic shelter between the dog park and the multi-use field.
  • All park features would be designed to meet accessibility requirements to the extent possible.
  • There could be an opportunity for a crosswalk at Gunderson Road if the street were extended across Highway 211.
Ponder Lane Concepts
(Click to enlarge)

Questions

How well do you like the layout of features in the Ponder Lane Park concept? (Check one.)

Sandy Community Campus

The Sandy Community Campus is the site of the former Cedar Ridge Middle School — including its buildings, pool (currently closed) and parking lot, and surrounding land with a skatepark, football field, track, and trails that connect to the Sandy River Park natural area. It is classified as a Community Park.

The City Council is studying options for the pool and Cedar Ridge buildings.  In the meantime, the pool and buildings are closed and are not considered part of this master plan. 

Based on the needs analysis, residents need a neighborhood park in this area and more community parks.  The City may use Urban Renewal Agency (URA) and other funds to renovate the school grounds for park use.

Park concept

A preliminary concept for redevelopment of the park was created as part of the Sandy Community Center Study completed in 2018.

The entire park will be too expensive to develop all at one time, so the park was broken into four phases. 

Sandy Community Campus Park Concept
(Click to enlarge)

Phase 1

The final design is likely to evolve, but this concept provides guidance on the type of improvements that could be included in Phase 1.

The Phase 1 park concept focuses on redevelopment of the east portion of the park and includes a parking lot adequately sized to serve the park, a playground, picnic area, basketball court, community garden, and a new skate park.

Sandy Community Campus Phase 1 Concept
(Click to enlarge)

Questions

How well do you like the Sandy Community Campus Phase 1 concept? (Check one.)
Please rank which elements you feel should be included in the first phase.
Click and drag the options listed below into this box, then arrange by priority.
  • Skate Park Not ranked.
  • Parking Not ranked.
  • Basketball Not ranked.
  • Playground Not ranked.
  • Picnic Area Not ranked.
  • Community Garden Not ranked.
  • Challenge Course Not ranked.
  • Flexible Field Not ranked.
  • Pump Track Not ranked.

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Next Steps

Thank you for your interest in this project. Before you leave, please submit your feedback below.

Sandy Parks Timeline

Next Steps

  • The Master Plan process began in October 2019, and the goal for completion is late 2020 or early 2021
  • Feedback from this online open house will be incorporated into the draft Master Plan by mid-November
  • The final plan will be presented in public meetings to the Parks Board and Planning Commission, then to the Sandy City Council for adoption.

Contact Us

Timeline

Sandy Parks Timeline
Click to enlarge.

Along with the one-on-one interviews with key community groups, public open houses and online surveys that helped to shape the draft plan, a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), comprised of Sandy community members, has met throughout the project to help guide the project team. 


Tell us about yourself

Which parks do you live within walking distance of: (Check all that apply.)
Are you interested in participating in a follow-up meeting regarding park design? (Check one.)
Which park(s) are you interested in learning more about: (Check all that apply.)

Please provide your contact information if you would like to receive future updates or participate in a future meeting:

Demographic Questions

What is your age? (Check one.)
What best describes your gender? (Check one.)
What is your race or ethnicity (Check one.)
What is the combined income of all the people in your household? (Check one.)

Thank you for your input and helping to shape the future of Sandy parks and trails!

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