Commons Park is not an ordinary park. The park is the largest in Davis County, the third largest city park in the state (behind Sugarhouse and Liberty parks) and includes a host of top-rate facilities.
Located on North Wasatch Drive, west and north of Layton High School, the park surrounds the city's office complex.- Ever hear of a park with museum? The Commons Park has the Heritage Museum, open 1-5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.
- Like to read in a natural setting? The Layton Branch of the Davis County Library System is at the south end of the park.
- Need to cool off? The Commons Park includes the Surf 'N Swim, a year-round pool and a seasonal outdoor pool.
- Do you like nature trails? The Commons Park has more than a half-mile of trails along Kays Creek that allow walkers to view ducks, geese and swans as well as gardens of flowers of trees. There's also an aviary on the west side of the museum.
- Need a good playground for the kids? The Commons Park has two and both have spiral slides, swings, plenty of sand and are protected from the sun by plenty of trees. Parents can watch from nearby benches and there are swings and slides especially geared to smaller children.
- Need a place in the shade for a picnic? The Commons Park has two boweries - one seats 150 and the other 300 - available on a reservation basis. There are also 14 picnic shelters and five open picnic areas scattered throughout the park.
Other facilities include horseshoe throwing lanes, two baseball diamonds, racquetball courts and a sauna available in the Surf 'N Swim complex.
If the Layton Hills Mall is the city's unofficial indoor gathering place, then the Commons Park is its outdoor counterpart.
The park is traditionally crowded every Fourth of July for fireworks and holiday entertainment and also every summer Sunday evening for a free concert series. During the holiday season, the park contains the biggest outdoor collection of Christmas lights between Salt Lake and Ogden.
But even though the park serves a city population of almost 45,000, there's plenty of room to find solitude.
According to James "Woody" Woodward, Layton Parks Supervisor, the portion of park by the river is like a world of its own - secluded, where few houses or other manmade structures are visible.
"We want to be the leader," Woodward said of the philosophy the park crews use in taking care of the park, regarded by some residents as the city's crown jewel.
Dogs are not permitted in the park and roller blading and cycling are discouraged but not banned - except around the library building.
"Bicycles are our biggest problem," Woodward said, explaining they can speed down the park's sidewalks and collide with walkers on blind curves.
Woodward also said the Commons is a "pack it in and pack it out" park with no garbage containers. Woodward said budget cutbacks a decade ago forced him to institute they system, which has worked surprisingly well. He estimates 85 percent of park users pack their own garbage out.