Residents oppose Ottinger Hall plan
Avenues isn't suitable spot for after-school program, neighbors say
And while many Avenues residents have been among the mayor's core constituency, some aren't welcoming the spread of Anderson's pet project into their neighborhood.
Avenues residents agree the mayor's YouthCity program can be a good thing, however, some are saying program leaders have picked the wrong spot to expand after-school activities.
YouthCity's latest target for expansion is historic Ottinger Hall along Canyon Road near the southern entrance to Memory Grove.
Three years ago YouthCity earmarked $100,000 from a $1.2 million federal grant the program received to refurbish the old hall. The grant requires that as part of the refurbishment YouthCity programs be held at Ottinger. City leaders also secured a $100,000 matching contribution from the Salt Lake Rotary Club to help pay for the refurbishment.
City officials felt the grants and contributions were a win-win, providing historic preservation for a beloved and worn-down building and also allowing for expansion of the mayor's innovative youth programs, which teach kids using creative curriculum.
"Nobody's more anxious to get programs up and running for that area of the city than I am," YouthCity executive director Janet Wolf said.
But Avenues residents are questioning why Ottinger Hall was picked in the first place. They want city leaders to consider a better location for YouthCity than the historic and fragile hall.
"The residents don't understand why city leaders would feel like junior high kids and Ottinger Hall would make a good mix," neighbor Jennie Jonsson said. "Nobody has given us a good answer as to why that would be a good mix. It does seem odd that there isn't a place that would be more suitable to kids."
Residents note the neighborhood already faces myriad parking and traffic congestion issues, which may be exacerbated as dozens of kids arrive and leave for YouthCity programs. The area contains frequent dead ends and is an artery for workers going to and from work. Memory Grove visitors often block residents' access to their driveways and gobble up on-street parking spots.
"You've got very narrow streets and parking is at a very high premium," City Councilman Eric Jergensen said. "The concern is that people will come and park in the neighborhood and create more congestion. It's a big concern and a valid concern."
Jergensen said many of the issues are born from a perceived lack of communication between the city and the neighborhood.
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