SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — On Nov. 3, one of the questions on the Salt Lake County Midterm Election ballot will be whether to approve the county to go ahead and get a $128 million bond for the county’s parks and recreation.
That money will go to things like new constructions, like a recreation center at Union Park in Midvale, renovating picnic tables and playgrounds at Hunter Park in West Valley City, or finish expanding trails here at Big Cottonwood Regional Park.
"Oh, absolutely for it, I think parks improvement is a great idea, they should have done it years ago,” said Debbie Williamson, who lives in North Salt Lake.
Salt Lake County's identified 30 different projects throughout the county that they plan to repair, improve and complete if voters approve the bond.
WATCH | $128 million question on Salt Lake County Midterm Election ballots
The county's been planning for almost 10 years.
"We do this about every ten years, so there's an expiring bond from 2016, that was the bond that built the Draper Rec center, Bingham Regional Park, and when that bond expires, this new bond will take its place in your tax bill,” said Eric Biggart, the communication director for the Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office.
That's why the bond's on the ballot this year, since the old one's expiring. Since it's essentially replacing the old bond, taxes stay the same, at a $1.37 every month.
"You wouldn't see an increase or decrease either way because it's just replacing an old property tax line,” said Biggart.
One of the most expensive projects proposed for if the new bond passes is the construction of a recreational center at Union Park in Midvale.
FOX 13 previously reported on Oct. 11 about how this project caused concerns for a softball league because the plans on the Salt Lake County website show the recreational center being built on two out of three softball fields.
"The worst-case scenario is that the vote passes and they put the rec center right here, hopefully we'll get notified a year or two before we get kicked out,” said Jamie Walker, the president of Mt. Olympus Fastpitch Softball.
Since our previous reporting, the county's told us that the plans currently on the website are preliminary and can change and they will be working with Midvale City and the league to figure out the park's impacts and options.
But some people at the park said they'll be voting for the bond to pass.
"If it doesn't cost us as taxpayers any more money, that's even better,” said Ryan Workman, who lives in Midvale. But even if it did cost a couple bucks, I'd be willing to pay a couple bucks to have a rec center to have close by for my kids to come and participate in different activities, like a pool and exercise and things like that."
“The rec center that they plan to build is an exciting idea, it's a great idea for the park,” said Williamson.
For more detailed information about the $128 million bond, click here.