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Jared Kennedy | 06.07.2017

UPDATE

On Tuesday, June 13, Park City confirmed it would purchase Bonanza Flats and keep the area open to the public. The acquisition was made possible largely due to fundraising efforts from small donors and strong public support to save the area from private development. You can read more here.

Original Article

In April we published an article written by Contributor Kyle Jenkins about the efforts underway to protect Bonanza Flats in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. An area beloved by hikers, mountain bikers, and used by a lot of outdoor recreationalists on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, Bonanza Flats is slated to be sold to developers and converted into a private gated community.

For months, a coalition of organizations including our partners Save Our Canyons and Winter Wildlands Alliance have teamed up to raise the $38 million to buy the parcel of land to keep it public. They have worked tirelessly with the local governments to make the case that Bonanza Flats should stay public, and they need our help to raise the final $2.6 million to make this a reality.

The finish line is close, as is the final deadline. The groups working to protect Bonanza Flats have until June 15, 2017, to raise as much of the funding as they can and to continue to pressure Salt Lake County to also support the efforts with minimal public funds. 

Now it's our turn to help get this to the finish line...

DONATE TO HELP SAVE BONANZA FLATS

While it may seem like a small drop in a large bucket, we can be instrumental in helping to get this project done. Through midnight on Monday, June 12, all donations to OutdoorProject.org will go to saving Bonanza Flats, and in addition we will match donations up to $500. If the goal is not met, your donation will be returned.

AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD

If you can't donate or want to provide public comment, you can also write the Salt Lake County Commissioners to let them know you support saving Bonanza Flats for use by all Salt Lake County residents and visitors.

When the council last voted against funding, their reasoning was that Salt Lake County tax dollars should not be contributing to protecting lands in Wasatch County. What the council needs to hear is that Salt Lake County residents rely on Bonanza Flats for recreation, water, solitude, as well as healthy wildlife habitat, and that county residents support a reasonable portion of our tax dollars going to protect these values and this place. 

Here are the phone numbers for council members who voted NO last time:

  • Richard Snelgrove (R - At Large):  385-468-7452
  • Max Burdick (R - District 6):  385-468-7459
  • Steve DeBry (R - District 5):  385-468-7458
  • Aimee Winder Newton (R - District 3) 385-468-7456
  • Michael Jensen (R - District 2) 385-468-7455

And here are the numbers for those who voted YES:

  • Jenny Wilson (D - At Large):  385-468-7451
  • Jim Bradley (D - At Large): 385-468-7453
  • Arlyn Bradshaw (D - District 1): 385-468-7454
  • Sam Granato (D - District 4): 385-468-7457 

Collectively, we have made a substantial dent in the $38 million price tag for the property. After recent contributions by Wasatch County, Summit County, Salt Lake City Public Utilities, Town of Midway, Park City, Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission and the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy along with donations from private citizens and business we’re incredibly close to our goal with only $2.6 million left to raise.

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Save Our Canyons, established in 1972, is dedicated to protecting the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch Mountains, canyons and foothills.

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