Salt Lake City Completes Phase I of Allen Park Project

SALT LAKE CITY–Westminster students, alumni, and employees are invited to an open house event on May 30 in Allen Park to celebrate the completion of Phase I of the Allen Park Project. Years in the making, the Allen Park Project aims to make Allen Park “... an open, public, pedestrian park that highlights the site’s unique history, preserves and enhances ecological features, repairs the artistic expressions scattered throughout the site, and restores key structures.”

Located directly east of Westminster University across 1300 E, Allen Park is a respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. It includes crucial riparian habitat for wildlife along with walking trails, artistic monuments, and historical landmarks for community members to enjoy. Westminster University has maintained a long relationship with Allen Park–multiple professors and students have conducted research there, and it remains a vital space for reflection, connection, and exercise just a short walk from campus.

Allen Park has a deep history starting back in the 1930's when Dr. George Allen purchased the space and began to transform it into his home and a bird sanctuary. Over the next 30 years, the space was altered from a narrow ravine along Emigration Creek to a family living area filled with art installations in the form of sculpture and mosaic works. However, the space has since fallen into disrepair, prompting the city of Salt Lake to purchase the land in 2020 to restore and preserve it.

In Phase I of the project, the city completed utility upgrades, improved Emigration Creek’s ecological function and capacity for stormwater management, and developed safer opportunities for users to enjoy the park while maintaining historic components of the park. Come celebrate and witness the progress at the open house and be sure to stop by Westminster University’s booth.