October 2019 - Parks & Recreation - 42

E Q U I TA B L E PA R K A C C E S S

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIG INC.

Murray City residents engage in a pop-up
activity, one of the ways city staff used
to gather community input.

Using a Systemwide Master
Plan to set Priorities
With 424 acres of city parks and
another 229 acres of county parks
serving 49,897 residents, Murray
City, Utah, appears to have plenty
of parks. " Murray City has been an
innovator in parks and recreation
for the past 50 years, " notes Kim
Sorensen, Murray's parks and recreation director. " The key to our success is how we have balanced innovation with community traditions. "
The city has a proud history in
the smelter and metal refining industry, which attracted a diverse
European and Japanese population through the mid-1900s. This
early cultural diversity influenced
Murray City's heritage and independent spirit, which are evident
in the current emphasis on arts
and culture, community events and
protected open space. Today, the
city's growing population includes
Latinx and mixed-race groups that
call Murray home.
The 49,987 residents of Murray
enjoy 13.1 acres of parkland per
1,000 residents: well above the median 9.6 acres per 1,000 residents
40

Parks & Recreation

for cities of this size, accroding to
NRPA's Park Metrics. However,
TPL's ParkServe® reveals that only
47 percent of Murray residents have
access to a park within a 10-minute
walk. Why is a park-rich city so
park deficient?
1. East Murray had no parks, forcing
residents to rely on schools with
traditional amenities. In West Murray, however, residents describe a
different scene with access to winding paths, a splash pad and nature
center.
2. Citywide, park acreage is concentrated in large, centralized parks,
special-use recreation areas and
riverfront green space. In contrast, the city has only eight neighborhood parks lacking active recreation.
3. Murray is divided by two major
interstates: a railroad, a light rail
line and the Jordan River - all
within 12.3 square miles, making
it difficult to get across town unless traveling by car.
In 2017, East Murray had an
opportunity to expand recreation
access through an interlocal agreement for a 10-foot-wide path along

| O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

the Jordan and Salt Lake Canal.
The Murray Canal Trail was jointly funded through city money and
a Salt Lake County Transportation Alternative Program Grant.
Although tremendously popular,
the trail by itself lacks the types
of amenities - art, play elements,
signage and benches - that attract everyone. Crossing southeast
Murray, the trail is a 2-mile-plus
walk from the higher density residential areas. Still, nearby residents
are excited about the trail. One
resident describes it as " the best
thing that's happened in East
Murray. " Then she adds, " In fact, it
is the only thing that has happened
[in East Murray]. We need more
parks and green space! "
Sorensen is aware of the competing demands for improved
park access across the community. " Murray City's parks, facilities,
trails and golf course are heavily
used. Our programs are incredibly
popular. Some of our facilities are
older and need improvements, "
he notes. " Residents tell us they
want new amenities, including dog
parks, outdoor fitness equipment
and more pickleball. We're raising
funds to renovate the historic Murray Theater to support the performing arts. We'll add a new public
plaza when City Hall redevelops in
a few years. New housing is being
added in Central and West Murray,
which will increase park needs. At
some point, we have to ask ourselves: What are our priorities? "
The department began updating
its Parks & Recreation Master Plan in
response to that question. Sorensen
asked project consultant, MIG, Inc.,
to look at areas lacking 10-minute

October 2019 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2019 - Parks & Recreation