Mayor Delora Bertelsen solidified an agreement with Nebo School District Tuesday that allows the city to develop a 7-acre park on school district land at 500 E. 600 North.
The lease agreement states the district and city have a mutual interest in serving the educational and recreational needs of the citizens of Springville. And since there is a particular need for more recreational areas and parks, the district is willing to lease the property to the city for $1 a year.The school district said it may not need the land for the next 15 years.
In conjunction with the agreement, the park will be developed much faster than planned. Local members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints living in the Spring Creek South and Spring Creek LDS stakes have selected the park as their volunteer community project for the churchwide day of service July 19, honoring the Sesquicentennial of the pioneers entering Utah.
A park development committee is currently searching for qualified surveyors, engineers and others with park development and construction experience to assist in the project. Approximately 3-4 acres could be developed, including three soccer fields, a walking/nature trail, playground area and picnic tables.
The land needs to have the brush, trees and weeds removed, and the ground needs to be leveled and some soil brought in. A sprinkler system will be installed on July 19 from city funds, with hydro seeding to follow. Playground equipment will be designed and donated materials used whenever possible. Residents are being encouraged to donate volunteer hours to the project.
In responding to this opportunity of having a park in the north end of town, Harold Davis, chairman of the Springville City Park's Board, quoted from "The Power of Parks," saying, "Public open spaces (parks, playgrounds, community gardens and other public lands) are places where the seeds of sustainable communities take root, where people become neighbors and where cities become more livable."
This is not the first time Nebo School District has leased land to a city. Wave Miguel Park in Mapleton is slated as a future junior high school site.