Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski is working to renegotiate a 2008 contract to expand public access to the 21st Street Pond. The current agreement with Goode Ski Technologies limits most water activities to the company's exclusive use, though shoreline fishing remains permitted.
The existing six-page contract, signed in 2008 under former Mayor Matthew Godfrey, designates the area as Goode Ski Lake. Under the terms of the agreement, Goode Ski has exclusive use of and responsibility for all buildings and improvements on the property, provided the company maintains its North American headquarters in Ogden. The contract expires Sept. 30, 2038, with an option to renew for an additional 20 years.
Nadolski, who has a background in wildlife management and previously worked as an intern for the Division of Wildlife Resources at the pond, stated that negotiations with Goode Ski have been underway for several months. He expressed a desire to leverage the pond's value for community outdoor recreation and aims to expand public use to include all types of small, non-motorized watercraft, such as float tubes.
While the mayor seeks increased access, swimming remains a concern due to a capped portion of the Superfund site east of the pond that requires ongoing monitoring. The pond is currently stocked by the state wildlife agency with species including Black Crappie, Blue Gill, Channel Catfish, Green Sunfish, and Largemouth Bass. Goode Ski also contributes grass-eating carp to help improve the water quality.
Goode Ski, which was sold to general manager Chris Roberts following the 2020 death of Dave Goode, maintains sole discretion to host public events at the pond. Such events require the company to provide the city with 10 percent of collected royalties or equivalent physical improvements.
The pond originated in 1973 when the Utah Department of Transportation excavated the area to hold gravel and materials for the construction of Interstate 15. In 2004, the US Environmental Protection Agency designated the pond and adjacent rail yards as a Superfund cleanup site. Goode Ski Technologies also moved its operations from Michigan to Ogden in 2004.
