County bond's $21 million Midvale recreation center is planned where two of Union Park's three softball fields are, the league that plays there says

MIDVALE — One of the 30 projects in Salt Lake County's $128 million recreation bond would be a $21 million recreation center at Union Park in Midvale, and plans show it built on the ground where two of the park's three softball fields are, FOX 13 News first reported on Oct. 11 12.

The Mt. Olympus Fastpitch Softball League, which plays almost all of its games at Union Park, says it has no other diamonds to move to 12.

The bond on the Nov. 3 ballot asks whether the county may issue general obligation bonds "in an amount not to exceed $128,000,000," maturing in no more than eleven years, for "repairing, completing, acquiring, constructing or renovating open space, natural habitat, parks, community trails and recreational facilities" 3. The county counts 30 projects across 25 locations, including two new recreation centers, 29 miles of new trails and eight pools that would be improved or expanded 3. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and the county lists polling hours of 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 3.

On cost, the county states the net property tax rate increase as $0, on the reasoning that older bond debt is expiring so the new borrowing takes its place, and estimates a cost of $16.39 a year, or $1.37 a month, for a primary residence at the county average value of $658,000 3. It states the figure is an estimate and not a limit on the taxes it may be required to levy, and projects average combined operating and maintenance costs of $4,710,200 a year for the facilities over their first ten years, to be weighed during its next budget cycle 3.

The county's project list describes the Union Park Recreation Center as a LEED Gold-certified regional recreation center with an indoor lap pool, a family pool, a multi-use gymnasium, an elevated walking track, fitness rooms, community rooms, outdoor courts and an outdoor plaza, at a listed cost of $21,000,000 4. The county's own conceptual plan drawing for the site marks the building, parking, outdoor courts and an outdoor living room, with existing fields shown on the same drawing 5.

The league describes itself as a non-profit recreation league for girls in divisions from 6U to 18U, kindergarten through 12th grade, based on the east side of the Salt Lake Valley, with games played at Union Park; its fall season runs from late August into mid-October 6. League president Jamie Walker told FOX 13 the league has grown from 120 girls in its first season to just under 300, and that this is its third fall season 2. "It's going to affect our girls, and we might be out of a league that's in high demand right now," Walker said 2.

A coach for one of the league's teams told FOX 13, "There's no girls softball fields dedicated from the county north of Draper and east of I-15, except for these" 2. Walker said the league asked about the Larry H. Miller Softball Complex in Millcreek when it started and was told the facility is being used every weekend of the year outside winter, with no other complexes on the east side of Salt Lake County 2. Losing two of the three fields would leave the league without enough space to schedule games for its current roster, the Draper Herald reported, citing the FOX 13 account 1.

FOX 13 reported that Salt Lake County had not responded to its request for comment at the time of publication, and the Draper Herald reported that no meeting between the league and the county had been scheduled 21. Walker said the league hopes to open a conversation with county officials about keeping the fields alongside the new center 2.

The county states that every city was asked to send in project ideas and that a community board reviewed the submissions to spread projects fairly across the county 3. Under the program's published guidelines, applications went through an administrative staff review in May and June, a Recreation Bond Advisory Board review in June and July that included applicant presentations and funding recommendations, and County Council review and approval in August before the question went to the ballot 8. A board recommendation does not secure the money on its own: the guidelines state that funding is secure only if the bond passes at the election, and that applicants are notified of approved funding after the vote 8. The county's project list names Herriman, Midvale, West Jordan, Millcreek, Murray, Sandy, Salt Lake City, Holladay, Magna, Taylorsville, West Valley City and Kearns as the municipalities with projects 4.

The county lists the Cottonwood Heights and Draper recreation centers among examples of past recreation and ZAP bond projects, and states that its 2012 regional parks and trails bond, authorized at up to $47,000,000, provided the means to build three new regional parks in Bluffdale, Draper and the West Valley/Kearns area 7.

What happens next rests on the vote: the county lists the Union Park center at conceptual-plan stage 4, and the bond question is on the Nov. 3 ballot 3.

Sources: 1 Draper Herald, "Draper-area softball league could lose fields to county bond project," Oct. 12, 2026 — https://draperherald.com/articles/draper-area-softball-league-could-lose-fields-to-county-bond-project-mv55nf9r 2 FOX 13 News, "Softball league may be forced to disband over possible construction in Midvale," Oct. 11, 2026 — https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/northern-utah/softball-league-may-be-forced-to-disband-over-possible-construction-in-midvale 3 Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, Recreation General Obligation Bond — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/parks-recreation/rec-bond/ 4 Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, Proposed Bond Projects — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/parks-recreation/rec-bond/proposed-bond-projects/ 5 Salt Lake County, Union Park Recreation Center conceptual plan (PDF) — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/globalassets/2-parks--rec/recreation-general-obligation-bond/proposed-bond-projects/build-projects/union-park-recreation-center-conceptual-plan.pdf 6 Mt. Olympus Fastpitch Softball League — https://mtolympusfastpitch.com/ 7 Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, Bonds — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/parks-recreation/planning/bonds/ 8 Salt Lake County Community Services, 2026 Recreation Bond Guidelines and Policies (PDF) — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/globalassets/1-site-files/community-services/recreation-bond/2026-recreation-bond-guildelines-final.pdf