Editor's note: This story originally ran in June 2008.

Pioneer Park is poised to open its new promenade and off-leash dog park and, now, patrons will be able to use them until 11 p.m.

The Salt Lake City Council has agreed to extend the hours at downtown's drug-riddled green space in an effort to boost community use and curb illegal behavior.

"It does put some legitimate eyes and ears in the park," Councilman Carlton Christensen said about the change.

Instead of closing from dusk until dawn, Pioneer will officially be open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. from May 1 through Sept. 30. The council vote was unanimous.

The extension comes at the same time Mayor Ralph Becker picked Pioneer as his latest "Salt Lake Solutions" project. The mayor has assembled nearby residents, business owners and even a woman who lives in the homeless shelter to brainstorm on how to improve the park.

"There has been surprising consensus," Becker told the council Tuesday. "We are developing through that process a whole system of activities."

But members of the downtown mobile watch and community council fear the city is "going too far," says Public Services Director Rick Graham. Those groups, he says, are convinced vagrants simply will stay later and cause more problems for neighbors and police.

"Right now, the level of police effort after dark is zero," said Christian Harrison, chairman of the Downtown Community Council. "If you open the park after dark, the level of [police] effort necessarily is going to be higher."

In addition, Graham says the volunteer crime-fighting group Guardian Angels, who occasionally patrol the park, say the late hours may be too much for them to handle.

Even so, Graham says city officials are plotting a host of activities, including outdoor movies sponsored by the Salt Lake Film Center, to attract residents.

"We're hoping to have numerous events there that allow us to go to 11 o'clock," Graham told the council.

The move has the support of the nearby Road Home shelter as well as police Chief Chris Burbank, who made the suggestion. But council members reserved the right to revisit the park hours as necessary.

"I think this thing will work," predicted Councilman Van Turner.

Councilman Luke Garrott also was optimistic.

"Now we'll have more people with cell phones who can call the cops."

djensen@sltrib.com