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This year marks Summit Land Conservancy’s 20th Anniversary as Park City’s local land trust–- 20 years of saving the landscapes that are the heart of our community. The first 20 years of forever…
To honor the places we have protected, we will highlight and share some of the stories about these precious lands and how the Conservancy has grown over the years.
The Round Valley Open Space is comprised of five different conservation easements that possess natural, scenic, recreational and visual open space values. The sagebrush and scrub oak covered hills and valleys, include a variety of trails making the property a popular recreation area for locals and visitors of all skill levels. In the spring, the treasured state flower the Sego Lily can be spotted poking through the ground, and many creatures including moose, elk, fox, coyotes and deer call Round Valley their home year-round.
“There’s a gate up in Round Valley that no longer connects a fence. Thanks to funding from Park City’s first open space bond in the late 1990s, the lines of wire that used to divide the rolling hills of Round Valley into squares of different ownership have long been removed.
There was a celebration when the City acquired the land, and Myles Rademan handed out pieces of wire tied with a curly ribbon that was cut from those fences, as a reminder of what it takes to save land. Perhaps the first step was to convince ourselves that land could be saved. Then we had to decide if people would vote to tax themselves to buy the land from the developers.
In 1998, Park City’s Leadership Class 4, along with the elected officials and City staff, went to visit Helena Montana. Helena, like Park City, is a former mining town. But they had passed a bond to allow them to acquire a mountain that the whole community enjoyed for recreation, wildlife, and views. Inspired by their example, the citizens of Park City put a $10 million bond on the ballot.
We didn’t know if the bond would pass, and we weren’t sure what we could buy with the money if it did. The owners of the land in Round Valley were developers, intent on creating a golf course and village that would house foreign dignitaries for the 2002 Olympics.
After the bond passed, conversations began between the landowner and the leaders of Park City’s first open space committee lead by Brad Olch, Bob Richer, and Ann MacQuoid. Meanwhile, the Citizens Allied for Responsible Growth challenged the development proposals in the press and at planning commission meetings.
After 9/11, the developer decided to sell his land to the City, leading the way to the creation of the vast expanse (with added acquisitions of nearly 2,000 acres) that we all enjoy today. In 2005, Mayor Dana Williams signed five separate conservation easements to permanently protect the land.
Now there’s a gate that is forever open. And a scrap of wire to remind me that we can break down barriers with enough good will and determination."
Learn more about the Conservancy’s work and how you can save the lands and waters you cherish at www.wesaveland.org.
Photo Courtesy of Eric Erlenbusch
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