KEARNS — Looking a bit like a spaceship that has landed in the middle of suburbia, the massive Utah Olympic Oval is quickly becoming one of the Salt Lake Valley's most popular curiosities.
Every day, Charlene Blum walks her son Brian, "5 1/2," to Beehive Elementary behind the oval. The boy thinks it's "neat." And Mom?
"I think the things on top are a little tacky, but that's just my opinion," she said. Her son wants to learn how to play hockey at the arena. "Hopefully it will keep some of the kids out of trouble," she added. Residents are already using the oval during public-skating hours.
John Trujillo lives in clear view of that mass of steel and glass with the industrial/maritime theme. Looking at the oval from his front lawn, he gestures west toward a swath of open space and says he doesn't mind the new addition to the neighborhood, "as long as nothing else goes in there."
Trujillo has no tickets to Olympic speedskating events and, in fact, plans to rent his home and hightail it out of town during the Games. His biggest fear? Traffic.
"It's going to be crazy getting in and out of here," he said. "It's going to be terrible." Still, he thinks the break in wall-to-wall homes looks "pretty good," although he's "not sure" about the tall beams on the outside. His 10-year-old daughter plans to skate there after the Olympics leave town. Assessments steeped in pride? Maybe a bit of a stretch. But others are weighing in with only enthusiasm.
"The oval has done nothing but give Kearns a sense of pride," said Eric Hutchings, Kearns director of business and economic development. "It has been the best thing that has ever happened out in that area."
Beyond its otherworldly facade, the $30 million oval's 275,000-square-foot interior offers two international-size hockey rinks, seating for 6,500 and a 400-meter ice oval, site of the recent World Single Distance Speedskating Championships.
For three days this month, roads in Kearns, population 33,659, were congested with skaters and fans from around the globe on their way to and from the fastest and highest indoor ice oval in the world. But relatively few seemed to mind delays in their travels.
"I think the Kearns community is really excited for this and anxious to show they can handle the traffic and congestion," said Parley Jacobs, principal of Kearns High.
Yeah, but the championships were just a test run — what about the Big Time?
"People will still be able to get to their house," said Nick Thometz, oval director for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. SLOC has had at least two town meetings explaining logistics of Olympic proportion and raising the community's comfort level with the oval.
"We've tried to bring all the information to the community," Thometz said. "There's a lot of involvement the community can have with this. When there's an understanding there, people will go 'Wow, this will have a positive impact on our lives.' " SLOC may hold one more town meeting this summer.
"We're anxious to work with the Olympic committee," said Lynn Davidson, president of the Granite School Board. "We think we have already worked out a calender and a timetable when school and events do not conflict." Parking impacts at Kearns High have been and will be minimal, officials say.
When the 2002 Winter Games arrive, classes at Kearns High may start sooner and end earlier, but none has been canceled. One room in the school may be used as a briefing room for athletes. The real impact, though, will be felt across the street.
The Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center will be closed for about 23 days when the Games arrive. It will be used as a media center. Brent Sheets, the center's general manager, thinks patrons will be too busy with Olympic activities to care about alternatives, though he suggested centers in West Jordan and West Valley. The hassle, however, is a mere speed bump on the way to better days.
Already, construction is under way on an eight-acre park that adjoins the oval. It'll have a trail system, picnic pads and open green spaces. The oval's landing in Kearns also touched off a yearlong community enhancement program. And there's one more bonus.
SLOC has opened the oval — for a fee — to all skaters during the evening Monday through Friday and for several hours each Saturday until April 7. Then over a six-week period, the 400-meter ice sheet will be removed to make way for a new, even faster surface. After that, special skating programs will resume. For more information on skate times, call 1-801-968-6825.
E-MAIL: sspeckman@desnews.com