It covers two blocks along Main Street from 200 South to 400 South, and right now it’s home to a playground, a pavilion and a small bandstand where groups perform during the summer Heber Market on Main concert series.
Consultant Roger Brooks has shared an ambitious plan with the Heber City Council to transform the park into “the most awesome square in the United States.”
His proposal includes a splash pad, an ice ribbon, outdoor dining tables and pop-up small businesses. It will also add more programs and activities to the park, like lawn games and food trucks.
Eventually, Brooks envisions Heber constructing a new building on the south end of the park to manage operations and be a drop-off point for micro-transit or future buses.
In total, the plan will cost an estimated $23 million. Construction would happen in phases over the next four to five years, according to city planning documents.
How all the upgrades will be funded is still being determined.
Previously, Heber hoped to pay for its downtown projects mostly with tax increment funding from its community reinvestment agency, or CRA. That’s expected to generate about $3 million over the next 20 years through partnerships with the city and the water district.
Wasatch County and the Wasatch County School District, which would have contributed roughly $4 million and $16 million, respectively, both opted not to participate in the CRA.
City manager Matt Brower told the council at its planning retreat in January that Heber will also use the trails, arts and parks tax, impact fees, grants and the city’s capital improvement fund to pay for the plans.
Work to reinvent the park is already well underway, as construction of a new bandshell nears completion along 200 South. The stage is expected to be operational in time for this summer’s concert series, although construction has experienced delays.
At the Heber City Council meeting Tuesday, councilmembers will vote on the overall vision for the park. They won’t be approving construction or funding for future projects quite yet.
Once the plans have council approval, city staff will be able to make formal plans for how to fund the next stages in the park’s transformation.
To read in depth about the plans for Heber City Park, visit the city's website.
