WEST VALLEY CITY -- Jot down whatever comes to your mind when someone conjures up the name West Valley City:
Crime? The "poor side of town"? A community of blue-collar businesses and small homes sardine-packed into budget subdivisions?Or do you think of hockey games and concerts in the E Center? Tasteful new subdivisions with posh homes? Attractive office parks and business centers?
The folks over at City Hall, naturally, are hoping your thinking falls into the latter category.
If not, they're hoping you'll pay a little more attention to the city's efforts in recent years to "raise the bar" on residential development, recreation, entertainment, business growth and law enforcement.
The city's newest catch phrase, "raise the bar" trickled into the municipal vocabulary during a Rural and Urban Design Assistance Team (RUDAT) study in late 1997.
But city officials say the concept has been a priority for years as they've worked to change not only public perceptions about West Valley City but the day-to-day realities of community life.
Changes noticeable
Ned Winder, a veteran dairyman and lifelong resident of the Granger portion of West Valley City, is one of those people who has noticed the changes.
"I know they (community leaders) are trying valiantly to improve the image of the community . . . and I think they're doing quite well," he said. "The west side of the valley has always carried a little bit of a stigma. It's bothered some people, but it hasn't bothered me."
But there are some irritating things, Winder admits, like the attitude of a high school football team from the eastern side of the valley that recently competed against Hunter High School.
"We heard they were told it was going to be a little risky coming over here," Winder said. "Like they were going into Satan's Lair.
"The (east side) players were told the Hunter High players were going to be working for them some day," he said. "Our kids beat them handily."
Winder said additions to the community such as the E Center, the Hale theater and the Lake Park Business Center are helping remove the "west side" stigma.
"I went to see the Mannheim Steamroller this week . . . I thought it was one of those things where trucks roll over cars," he chuckled. "I was pleasantly surprised.
"We're kind of coming up in the world," Winder added. "Now, if we can just get people not to blame all the troubles on this side of the valley on our city."
Strategic plan
City Manager John Patterson said the idea of raising the bar began picking up steam when City Council members adopted their 1992 strategic plan.
"We identified a gadzillion things that would put us on the map," he said, ranging from upgrading the city's WestFest Celebration to establishing a variety of boards and commissions to encourage resident participation.
The qualitative push was slow at first, Patterson said, but has been picking up momentum each year.
"Everything we've done, we've tried to build quality into it," he said.
"In the case of the E Center, we could have built a $27 million facility with a single bowl and no club seats," the city manager said. "For $10 million more, we got a state-of-the-art facility.
"Or rather than a Family Fitness Center, we could have built a couple of gyms with a roof and thrown in a swimming pool or two," Patterson added. "Instead, we're going to have a cradle-to-the-grave fitness center."
Housing upgrades
Another example of raising the bar is in the area of housing, the city manager said.
The council recently adopted a minimum house size of 1,200 square feet but is experimenting with allowing larger upscale homes on smaller lots where the creative use of space and quality construction are emphasized.
"We've done our share for affordable housing," Patterson said. "Thirty percent of West Valley City's housing stock is in multiple-unit dwellings or mobile homes.
"We feel we've got enough starter homes . . . now we're encouraging more trade-up-to homes," he added. "People have been leaving our community because we've been lacking in that area."
Amenities encouraged
Similar bar-raising efforts are evident at the Lake Point Business Center, where the city made some concessions in exchange for jogging trails, high-concept design and top-quality construction.
"We wanted to ensure this would be the best business park in the state and felt the quality would speak volumes," Patterson said.
He also indicated the city is pursuing more high-end business development. "Five years ago, we weren't so particular," the city manager added.
Ted Nguyen, community and governmental relations director, said another attitude-shifting strategy has been to "empower" residents by giving them more say in their community.
The city now has 95 active neighborhood associations, compared with 15 just four years ago, and has some 1,000 residents involved in neighborhood mobile patrols to help curb crime.
Involving residents
Community-oriented policing efforts have been stepped up, more advisory boards have been organized and the city is making an increased effort to reach out to minorities within the city.
An international business district is slowly taking shape along 3500 West between Redwood Road and I-215, and the city is working on plans to develop a multicultural center on ground recently purchased at about 3100 West, west of the Jordan River.
"Our Dan Jones surveys indicate that people are generally happy with our progress," Patterson added. "For the most part, people out here have always believed in their city. Now they're thrilled to see things happening."
Count Marjorie Marshall among that growing group.
A senior citizen who moved into a West Valley City mobile home park about 2 1/2 years ago, Marshall says she's concerned about the rate of the community's growth and the apparent rush to develop.
Nevertheless, the West Valley woman said she's been impressed by the swift construction of sports, entertainment and cultural facilities along Decker Lake Drive north of 3500 South.
"We do need more things for the public like recreation and entertainment centers," Marshall said. "Places where people can do something. The E Center has had quite a big impact" on the community.
"I think we're moving in the right direction," she added.
Self-esteem growing
Joseph Moore, community and economic development director, said he sees a change in attitude and municipal self-esteem being evidenced in the growing interest of local businesses in issues that affect West Valley.
He's also seen a shift of interest in transportation and urban design issues along with a growing desire for an identifiable city center.
"We're hearing more people talking about what they can do to help raise the bar," he said. "We have builders saying they want to do things that will make people want to live here."
Moore said the city has done its part by increasing its planning and design standards, in some cases establishing crucial overlay zones at various entry points or "gateways" to ensure visitors are greeted by quality development as they arrive in West Valley City.
The bar will be raised even higher over the next couple of years as the city embarks on its Vision 2020 project, which will upgrade West Valley's general plan to upgrade design and construction standards even further.
Moore noted the city is working on a plan to bring a light-rail spur to West Valley, possibly within the next five to 10 years.
There are also plans to construct an intermodal transportation "hub," where various mass transit services such as light rail and buses converge, at Valley Fair Mall, widen 5600 West and improve transportation between commercial centers, he added.