The Salt Lake City Council is inviting public comment on a proposed 2020-21 budget amendment that would provide funding to renovate the historic Fisher Mansion Carriage House into a recreation hub and create a redevelopment plan for the former Glendale water park.
The City Council will listen to public comment during a meeting Tuesday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Albert Fisher Mansion and Carriage House were damaged due to the collapsing chimney and falling debris in the March 18 earthquake, Monday, April 13, 2020
The original approved budget to renovate the Fisher Mansion Carriage House — located on 200 South near the Jordan River — was $1,378,764, according to City Council documents, with a new funding request of $2,172,496. The City Council staff report says increased costs are largely due to the renovations the building needs — including plumbing and electrical upgrades, as well as preservation of historic windows and doors — and increased costs for a planned public exhibit space.
The Fisher Mansion Carriage House project envisions the building as a hub for recreation on the Jordan River, and includes plans to convert part of the first floor into a public exploration center that would display exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the Jordan River. The building would also be a jumping-off point for a nearby boat ramp.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Security guard Nathan Lancaster walks the property, Oct. 29, 2020. In the 1980's Raging Waters water park was home to the world's third wave pool. Today the property is in such disrepair that Salt Lake City needs to disassemble it and figure out some kind of new park to replace it. Closed since 2018,vandalism and operator abandonment has left the park a liability for the city.
Another part of the budget amendment includes a $225,000 request from the Parks & Public Lands Division to hire a consultant to write a development plan for the run-down Glendale water park, formerly known as the Wild Wave and Seven Peaks, which closed down in 2018. According to the city, a recent survey found about half of the respondents support finding a new use for the site. The City Council staff report notes that with a price tag of at least $20 million, it might be too expensive to fully restore the water park — but some of its components might be reusable.
The development plan would include an analysis of the site, developing concepts and alternatives for the park, and defining a community vision for the park.
Attendees can watch the City Council meeting on Facebook, YouTube or SLCtv, and sign up to participate in public comment through WebEx.
Read the full Salt Lake City Council meeting agenda here.
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