West Valley City is one of Utah's oldest communities, and also one of its newer ones. The agrarian communities of Hunter, Granger, and Redwood were settled in the 1850's, shortly after Brigham Young's hardened pilgrims arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley. As the county grew into the 20th century, these small communities found themselves surrounded by larger cities, not the least of which was Salt Lake City. A revolt over taxation and county governance prompted the three communities to incorporate in 1980, giving rise to West Valley City. By that time, though, county planning authorities had done a lot of damage, resulting in poor roads, substandard services, and inadequate housing. West Valley City, though the second largest municipality in the state, lacks any center or real identity. In the 1990s it was known as a center for gang-related crime. Today, it is regarded as a place where the working class and the working poor live, it's known for its ethnic diversity and it's a great place to buy new tires, watch a hockey game, or order a semi truck or an earthmover, if you're in the market for one.
Yet, as a city of such size, it defies the stereotype. West Valley boasts some of the region's strongest employers, including Alliant Tech Systems, Wheeler Machinery, UPS, Discover Financial Services, and some significant home-grown enterprise, including FranklinCovey, Harmons, Winder Farms, and USANA. It also is home to a thriving multi-ethnic Chamber of Commerce, a municipally-funded center to celebrate cultural diversity (how many Utah cities have a folklorist on the payroll?), a halfway-decent theatre company, two golf courses, a state of the art city-funded fitness center, and some good schools.
Anyway, here are some photos:
This is Centennial Park, the city's main park. To the right of the image are the ballfields and on the left is the city's Family Fitness Center, a community amenity that gives Gold's Gym a run for its money, and at a fraction of the cost to the residents.
The oldest part of West Valley City is the neighborhood of Chesterfield. Nestled in the bottom of the Salt Lake Valley along the meandering Jordan River, Chesterfield exudes a rural feel - an improverished rural feel. Much of the initial platting established shortly after the pioneers founded Salt Lake remains: plots that are 20 feet wide by 150 deep -- problematic for modern development. Nonetheless change has come, even to Chesterfield. Area Muslims recently erected the Khadeejah Masjid down the street from a Samoan Evangelical Church. In two years, the region's light rail network will come through Chesterfield.
Some limited agricultural activities are acceptable in Chesterfield, although it's in the heart of a valley that's home to a million people. Long-standing residents consider this horse country, or even llama (above) or shetland pony (below) country. It's an odd neighborhood to have in a big metropolitan region. This neighborhood evokes some very strong feelings - there are those who see it incongruous in the middle of a big city, and others who value it just as it is.
A mere mile from Chesterfield is the state's most beautiful office park development, a project called Lake Park. Conveniently located near two highways and the Salt Lake International Airport, Lake Park includes a golf course and some ecologically-sensitive landscaping. The building above is a customer service center for Discover Financial Services.
Intermountain Healthcare, the state's largest hospital and health insurance provider, is headquartered in this building at Lake Park. The golf course and a dedicated wetland meanders in between the office buildings. The parking is typically hidden behind berms or landscaping.
Lake Park offers a commanding view of the Wasatch Range, specifically (from left to right) Storm Mountain, Twin Peaks, and Lone Peak.Finally, here are a couple views of my cubicle:
1 comment:
Very cool. How long is your commute then?
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