PROVO CANYON — A $2.8 million canyon park is a hit with people who are looking for a nice place for wedding receptions or family reunions.
And the park, which isn't officially open yet for the season, has a new name, too.
Henceforth, the park will be known as Mt. Timpanogos Park — the home of the Mt. Timpanogos Storytelling Festival.
"It's a beautiful place," said Orem's city manager Jim Reams. "It's probably going to be a very popular park."
The 44-acre park has six pavilion-tent sites, an all-weather hosting site, a covered bowery, nature and bicycle trails, 10 picnic sites, six bathrooms, parking and a lot of shade trees.
It's taken almost two years to build and more than 15 to plan, design and finance.
"We're thrilled," said Karen Acerson, president of the storytelling festival board. "I'm very excited. Of course, we're also so grateful that they've decided to do the park."
The storytelling festival, which started at the home of WordPerfect empire matriarch Karen Ashton's home in Orem 16 years ago, has most recently been using grounds around the Olmsted power plant near the mouth of Provo Canyon.
But attendance has steadily increased — more than 30,000 attended the event in 2004 — and the festival has outgrown the Olmsted site.
"Of course, the park's not just for us. We know that," Acerson said.
Acerson said she asked the council to consider the name change because there were already a couple of parks with canyon in the name.
She said the festival board is willing to come up with a new sign as well if Orem officials want the board to create one.
City officials approved the name change Tuesday from Canyon Park to Mt. Timpanogos Park.
Orem's recreation director Jerry Ortiz said the city did not go into debt to pay for the park.
"It's exciting to finally see this come to fruition," Ortiz said. "It's a gorgeous park. The vistas are beautiful. It's just gorgeous."
Fees for bowery, pavilion and hosting center rental start at $100 for a four-hour block. The hosting center rents for $150 per wing, $300 for the entire building for a five-hour block.
Ortiz said the park can currently be accessed through Utah County's Canyon View park. The Mt. Timpanogos Park parking lot and bridge will be opened within the next few weeks.
For more information and to make reservations, call 229-1751.
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com