Parks should be a priority

"Buy land," Mark Twain said. "They're not making it anymore."

That has proven to be sound advice through the ages — as true when Twain roamed the West in the 19th century as it is in today's rapidly growing urban areas that dot desert landscapes, including the Wasatch Front. But as far as communities are concerned, that advice isn't just for sound investment purposes. It has to do with precious quality of life. If cities and counties don't acquire land for parks, they won't be able to manufacture any more of it once it all has gone for homes, businesses and smoothly paved roads.

Salt Lake County planners today will consider whether to amend the county's Recreation Master Plan to urge the purchase of park sites in Draper and Bluffdale — two places where new residents seem to be cascading in faster than water over Niagara — as well as in West Jordan and Midvale. Unfortunately, those also are places where land prices are climbing. Officials place the cost of land in Draper at roughly $30,000 an acre, but it's probably going to be even more by the time you read this.

The plan identifies southeastern Salt Lake County as having less then half the park space it should, according to formulas that measure such things. Those formulas are, of course, open to debate. Draper Mayor Darrell Smith, for one, told this newspaper he thinks his city is doing a good job of meeting its residents' demands for parks. But then, of course, it's hard to measure the demand new residents will have once they are in place. By then it may be too late to do too much.

To be fair, Draper has a commendable record of preserving open space. Residents there passed a bond that helped the city to buy and preserve Corner Canyon, for example. But the county's plan suggests much more land needs to be made available there. That can be a tall order considering public money is in short supply. The city has about $1 million available each year for land acquisition, and the county has an open-space acquisition fund, as well. But the needs far outweigh what the money can buy.

Too often, park construction has to include soccer fields and other recreational uses before public officials feel they can sell the need to the public. Those things are indeed important, but there is a need as well for simple grass and trees that serve no larger purpose than to provide a respite.

Early planners in Salt Lake City understood this when they set aside prime land for Liberty Park. Public officials understood it as well in the 1950s when the prison moved and they decided to form Sugarhouse Park rather than open more prime land to development. Few people would argue Salt Lake City is worse off for having preserved that open space.

Money is scarce, but so is land. The county is right to keep the pressure on through a demanding master plan.