More than 5,000 votes were cast in favor of the Park City schools bond, nearly double the 2,819 cast against it.
The $79 million bond is a sizeable step toward the district’s $130 million master planning goals. The bond funds are earmarked for expanding the high school to include ninth grade and building out McPolin and Jeremy Ranch elementary schools to offer more comprehensive services and pre-school programs.
Construction of the new portion of the high school is estimated to be complete in time for the 2024-2025 school year. Later phases of the master plan goals, which are to be funded in part through public private partnerships, include incorporating eighth grade into Ecker Hill Middle School and expanding services at Parley’s Park and Trailside elementary schools.
Park City schools serve just under 5,000 students.
The district has calculated that paying for the bond, the largest it’s ever sought, will cost about $100 per year for a primary home valued at $950,000. Secondary homeowners and commercial properties with that same value will pay about $150.
Park City schools’ last effort to pass a bond, for $56 million, was defeated decisively in 2015. At that time voters took exception to the amount of money that would have gone toward athletic facilities. This time around, district officials and board members communicated that the bond is for education, with academic facilities upgrades being central to their mission.