SALT LAKE CITY — There are more than 500 parks in Salt Lake County, from the well-known outdoor areas like Liberty, Sugar House and Pioneer Parks, to smaller, lesser-known “pocket parks.”
One woman has been to all 511 of them and is using her insight to help others.
After nearly two years touring all the county parks, Ali Vallarta has learned what people need, what they want, and what they like in their outdoor recreation spaces.
"I have all this data from a census of every park in our county," Vallarta explained, "whether it’s managed by a city, the county itself, or an HOA, and I have turned that into a map that anyone in Utah can use.”
Vallarta hopes her research can help find the outdoor space that fits everyone's needs.
“You can actually say, 'OK, what I’m looking for is a park that has an off-leash dog area, a toddler-friendly playground, an open bathroom,' and it will show you all the options available to you," she said.
Ask Vallarta, and she'll tell you that a park can be the perfect place for a social gathering, graduation, or even a wedding.
Valerie Iloa was visiting the new Glendale Park with several of her children. She said her family and friends are perfect examples of how far some people will go to find a good, safe park.
“I know for the past couple years, to go find a park that has a splash pad or just like a variety of things, we would drive far, like to Herriman or Bluffdale," said Iloa.
Fortunately, for Iloa and other Glendale residents, the new park is within walking distance.
“This is a godsend for our community," she shared, "and I think our community has done a really good job at keeping it clean, so I love that part.”
