Scott Later, a project architect at MHTN, outlined the athletic master plan at Tuesday’s board meeting. He’s been working on the plan since November. He said from a high-level view, the Park City area has a lot of positives as it has great access to natural resources and trail systems and has good locations for facilities.
However, the project needs to find a way to accommodate community and student needs.
“There needs to be a comprehensive solution, particularly in the Kearns campus, to look at how all of these five focused areas, community, sanctioned, club, outdoor rec. and physical education, could live within that space,” Later said.
According to a survey sent to athletics teams, 78% of the 40 respondents felt athletic facilities should support non-traditional sports and clubs. About 95% felt the facilities should allow for maximum use by everyone. The survey also found those involved in athletics wanted more field space, including indoor and outdoor fields, locker rooms, gym space and baseball facilities.
There are two proposals for Park City High School; remodel part of the building on the east side or build on an addition. The remodel option would provide space for a main gym, weight room, wrestling area and performing arts area.
“There's an option for a standalone field house,” Later said. “We typically see that as a size, you know, roughly 40 by 40 yards, it could grow based on needs,” Later said.
For the addition option, a new main gym, field house and locker rooms would be built on the school’s east side. Later said this option has support from some teams because it frees up the center of the building for performing arts or something else. He also said an addition could address structural integrity issues with the Eccles Theater wall. An addition would cost $70 million to $85 million.
Other parts of the Kearns campus will also see changes. Both proposals involve the demolition of the outdated Treasure Mountain Junior High. In place of the school, the “Treasure Mountain Sports Complex” would be constructed, which includes soccer, baseball and softball fields as well as tennis courts.
“We have heard a strong voice that baseball and softball should be turf,” Later said. “Just given your seasons, I think last year you only had two games that happened that year.”
The main difference between the proposals for the Kearns campus is in one, Dozier Field would stay where it is and in the other it would be moved to the center of the campus. Additional parking would go in its place.
The athletics master plan is still in its idea phase and is five to seven years from construction.
