What a $128 million county parks bond would build in the south valley — and what it would not

Salt Lake County voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether the county may issue general obligation bonds of up to $128 million for parks, trails, open space and recreation facilities, with the bonds maturing in no more than 11 years from issuance 1.

The county divides the money into $35.8 million for repairs, $21.1 million to complete projects already begun, $62.3 million to build new facilities and $8.8 million in project contingency, across 30 projects at 25 locations, including two new recreation centers, 29 miles of new trails and eight pools improved or expanded 1.

For the five cities this paper covers, the project list holds three projects, all in Herriman: $130,000 to evaluate the pool fabric duct system, prepare construction documents and install structural bracing for existing pool piping at the J.L. Sorenson Recreation Center; $3,000,000 for Phase 2 of the Butterfield Trailhead Regional Park, with natural-surface multi-use trails extending into Butterfield Canyon, new trail connections, drainage management and trailhead signage aligned with the Southwest Canyons Master Plan; and $10,000,000 for Phase 1A of the Southwest Athletic Complex, including two athletic fields, lighting, a restroom, paved parking with drop-off zones, landscape buffers along Teton Ranch Drive, storm drainage and a pedestrian trail connection under Mustang Way 2.

The list names Herriman, Midvale, West Jordan, Millcreek, Murray, Sandy, Salt Lake City, Holladay, Magna, Taylorsville, West Valley City and Kearns as the municipalities where projects sit, along with one countywide item for ultraviolet sanitation equipment at county-operated pools and splash pads 2. The two new recreation centers are the largest items: one at Union Park in Midvale, listed at $21,000,000, and one at Ron Wood Regional Park in West Jordan 2.

On cost, the county states that the bond would carry an estimated $16.39 a year, or $1.37 a month, in property tax on a primary residence at the county average value of $658,000, and $29.80 a year, or $2.48 a month, on a business or secondary residence of the same value 1. The county states that because debt on older bonds is expiring, the net property tax increase is $0 a year, and that the figure is an estimate and not a limit on the taxes it may be required to levy 1.

The county also discloses costs the bond does not cover. It projects average combined net operating and maintenance costs of $4,710,200 a year for the new facilities during their first ten years, states that bond money may not be used for daily operations, and states that it will determine during its next budget cycle whether those costs require budget cuts or a tax increase 1.

The county's guidelines for the program record the borrowing this would replace: general obligation bonds of $50 million in 1998, $65 million in 2007 and $90 million in 2016, of which $59 million was used to build 11 new projects, each issued alongside a renewal of the Zoo, Arts and Parks tax 3. The county lists recreation centers in Draper and Cottonwood Heights, the Jordan River Parkway, Parley's Trail and regional parks including Bingham Creek, Lodestone and Magna among what past bonds funded 1. The Draper Herald reported that the expiring 2016 bond paid for the Draper Rec Center and Bingham Regional Park, and quoted Eric Biggart, communication director for the Salt Lake County Mayor's Office, saying that "when that bond expires, this new bond will take its place in your tax bill" 4.

The county opened applications in spring 2026 with a deadline of May 22, reviewed them through an administrative staff review, a Recreation Bond Advisory Board review in June and July that included applicant presentations, and County Council review and approval in August, according to the program guidelines 3. Under those guidelines, funding is secure only if the bond passes, and the county's bond page places dissemination of approved project funding in 2027 35. The Draper Herald reported that county records from a June 2026 advisory board meeting showed the money divided 40 percent to repair and maintenance, 30 percent to completing started projects and 30 percent to new development, figures based on a $90 million planning framework rather than the $128 million the ballot authorizes 4.

This paper reported on Oct. 12 that the Union Park center in Midvale is planned on ground where two of the park's three softball fields are, that the Mt. Olympus Fastpitch Softball League plays almost all its games there, and that the county has called the plans preliminary 6.

What happens next rests on the vote. The county lists each project's stage on its project list, with conceptual plans for the Southwest Athletic Complex and Union Park center, and states that funding follows approval at the election 23.

Sources: 1 Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, Recreation General Obligation Bond — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/parks-recreation/rec-bond/ 2 Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, Proposed Bond Projects — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/parks-recreation/rec-bond/proposed-bond-projects/ 3 Salt Lake County Community Services, Salt Lake County Recreation Bond Guidelines & Policies, updated April 15, 2026 — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/globalassets/1-site-files/community-services/recreation-bond/2026-recreation-bond-guildelines-final.pdf 4 Draper Herald, "Draper voters face $128M county parks bond on Nov. 3 ballot," Oct. 19, 2026 — https://draperherald.com/articles/draper-voters-face-128m-county-parks-bond-on-nov-3-ballot-mve6yy4y 5 Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation, Bonds — https://www.saltlakecounty.gov/parks-recreation/planning/bonds/ 6 South Valley Ledger, "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," Oct. 12, 2026 — https://southvalleyledger.com/articles/county-bond-s-21-million-midvale-recreation-center-is-planned-where-tw-d49438/