The candidates running for council include: incumbents Tana Toly and Jeremy Rubell, along with political newcomer Diego Zegarra.
During a political forum hosted by KPCW and The Park Record Wednesday evening, the candidates weighed in on how the city could redevelop its properties along Swede Alley, including the China Bridge garage and Brew Pub parking lot.
Zegarra, an Old Town resident, said he wants any development to be focused on walkability and accessibility.
“If it can speak to the character of Main Street, specifically, that's something I would be interested in,” he said. “I’d rather not see a massive boutique hotel being developed there. I’d rather us not sell Marsac.”
Toly agreed the area should include small businesses and young entrepreneurs. She said this would bring locals back to Main Street.
“We first and foremost need to beautify Swede Alley; the blue dumpsters, the power lines, people's waste everywhere, it's not a pretty place,” she said. “I think there needs to be some redevelopment on Swede Alley and I'd really like to see it focused in on small businesses.”
Toly also said some intersections need to be altered to relieve traffic congestion. For Rubell, traffic changes were priority one when thinking of redeveloping Old Town.
“Traffic and circulation are job number one in the Old Town area, while we maintain the historic character and don't ruin the unique charm that we have here,” he said.
Toly and Rubell also support a gondola where the Town Lift currently sits. Local tech billionaire Matthew Prince recently purchased the Town Lift Plaza on Main Street and has said he wants to replace the chairlift with a gondola and connect it to Big and Little Cottonwood canyons.
“I actually suggested it when it came up at an official meeting, that we need to stop looking at the Main Street to Snow Park connection and start looking at the old town to Cottonwoods connection if we really want to up our game,” Rubell said.
Zegarra wasn’t sure a gondola would be good for the community.
The deadline to register and receive a vote-by-mail ballot for this election is Oct. 24. Residents who are not registered, but are otherwise eligible to vote, may vote provisionally in person during early voting or on Election Day Nov. 4.
New this year, ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 4 to be counted. An Election Day postmark will no longer count.
