City staff are re-ignating detailed design for the Backman Community Open Space following the completion of bridge construction. The project, which is paired with the installation of the Bridge to Backman, intends to add safety improvements and enhance a natural area consisting of two acres of city open space adjacent to Backman Elementary and the Jordan River.
The site currently contains thick, invasive vegetation that poses safety concerns for students, resulting in the area being virtually unused due to safety perceptions. The project has received funding through the GO Bond and a grant from the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation.
The final design is expected to include irrigation, native plantings, an outdoor classroom, a nature playground, seating, and a soft surface trail. Other potential amenities may include watchable wildlife areas and a permaculture garden.
As part of the design, the Jordan River Pathway will be rerouted from 500 N to the Backman Bridge. The project aims to improve a blighted section of the Jordan River Parkway and create a public asset for hundreds of children and families in the Rose Park neighborhood.
An analysis of census block data and access points by the University of Utah indicates that this natural area has the potential to provide walkable access to nature for more children than any other natural open space in the city.
The site is also currently part of a National Park Service Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program project intended to generate a community-centric restoration design plan. Construction for the Backman Community Open Space is expected to start soon.
