The Holladay City Council will review a $9.1 million design plan for the former Spring Lane Elementary site and discuss what to name the new park at its Thursday, Aug. 6 work meeting.

The work session is not a formal vote. If the council gives direction Thursday, staff will bring a resolution for approval at the Aug. 20 meeting, according to the city's agenda packet. Groundbreaking is anticipated in April 2027, with completion targeted for November 2027.

What the park will look like

MHTN Architects developed the design through a bridging document process, incorporating feedback from 680 community survey responses. Top-requested amenities included a dog park, splash pad, bike/pump track, pickleball courts, and walking paths.

The plan calls for four pickleball courts, a 0.75-acre all-ages playground, 1.25 miles of pathways, 4.75 acres of multipurpose fields, a new pavilion, restrooms, and parking expanded from 66 to 185 stalls.

It also preserves pieces of the former elementary school. The building's geometric facade will be reincorporated into a new plaza and mural. Existing bridge hallways will be repurposed to connect the park's central core to active recreation areas, and the school's glulam beams will become trellis elements along the primary walking path.

"A lot will depend on the costs, but it is important to weave some of the history of the site into the new uses," Council Member Matt Durham said at the council's March 19 meeting, when MHTN presented the adaptive reuse plan.

The naming question

The name is still open.

Assistant City Manager Holly Smith raised the question at that same March 19 meeting, telling council members that options include keeping the name "Spring Lane Park," holding a community naming contest, or naming the park after a prominent community leader. The topic returns as part of Thursday's agenda.

Budget and construction

The project's budget grew from $6.96 million to $9.1 million. The $2.1 million increase does not require new transfers from the General Fund or Capital Projects Fund. Staff said the increase is fully supported by existing Local Building Authority funding freed up because the City Hall seismic retrofit project came in under its original estimate.

Staff is also recommending a modified Construction Manager/General Contractor delivery method, with city employees handling construction management rather than hiring an outside firm.

The city holds a 30-year ground lease with Granite School District for the roughly 12-acre site. Mayor Paul Fotheringham has called the project "a big deal for Holladay," noting at an October 2025 Local Building Authority meeting that the city secured the land "on the cheap" compared to market rates of $1 million or more per acre.

The city has also applied for $2 million from Salt Lake County's ZAP Recreation Bond and $1 million from the TRCC fund, with grant results expected in December 2026.

How to participate

The work meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at Holladay City Hall, 3330 S. 1300 East. Residents can also email comments to [email protected] by 5 p.m. that day. A public hearing on the budget increase follows at 6:30 p.m.

A formal resolution on the design plan is expected at the council's Thursday, Aug. 20 meeting.