The exterior of the Allen lodge of Allen Park is pictured on Sunday. The space is slated to remain a mixture of art, nature and history moving forward, according to an adaptive reuse and management plan final draft released on Monday. (Carter Williams, KSL.com)
By Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted - Dec. 12, 2023 at 8:03 a.m.
SALT LAKE CITY — Allen Park, a 92-year-old space that Salt Lake City acquired and made a public park in 2020, will remain a unique blend of "art and sciences in the wild" for generations to come, park planners said Monday.
Salt Lake City Public Lands Department officials unveiled their proposed final draft of an adaptive reuse and management plan for the park Monday evening, which seeks to maintain its quiet nature and build on its art history by possibly opening some of its buildings to become art studios.
"Most people preferred the direction of 'art in the wild' — that idea of preserving the tree canopy, making it an area for quiet use of the community, maybe small gatherings," said Christine Richman, director of planning and economic development for GSBS Architects and a consultant on the project, during an online open house where the draft was released.
The draft will go through another public comment period before it's sent through the city approval process. Salt Lake City Council members, who will likely vote on the measure next year, have the final say on what the final plan will look like.