SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah, March 22, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake County officials have announced the planned acquisition of 94 acres of open space in Butterfield Canyon.
The purchase is planned to support “enhanced open space, multi-recreation use, and a dedicated trailhead in Butterfield, Rose, and Yellow Fork Canyons,” a released statement says.
This acreage is an addition to 50 acres recently acquired and 1,681 acres that were purchased by Salt Lake County in 2007 to preserve Rose and Yellow Fork Canyons, the statement says. In total, 2,500 acres of new open space will soon support a trail system in southwest Salt Lake County.
“One of Utah’s greatest resources is it’s natural outdoor spaces and Salt Lake County remains committed to investing in and preserving trails and open space,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said in a prepared statement.
“These 2,500 acres of new open space will improve residents’ access to trails and outdoor recreation in the southwest part of the county, and we are not done. We are actively seeking new ways to preserve natural open spaces countywide for future generations.”
Salt Lake County’s 2022 budget appropriated $2.5 million in base budget land acquisition funds. This new purchase is a critical part of Salt Lake County’s Parks & Recreation Master Plan.
Martin Jensen, Director of Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, also issued a statement:
“We’ve been saving and preserving land and with this funding and property acquisition we will now have improved public access to this incredible natural space,” he said. “These trails will be open to multiple users and will enhance access to area the County has preserved for the past 15 years.”
The City Council on Tuesday approved the purchase “and now the county’s real estate due diligence process will begin,” the statement says.
