January 2022 | Vol. 16 Iss. 01
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THE POINT, THE PRISON AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION
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By Mimi Darley Dutton | m.dutton@mycityjournals.com
S
even years ago, the historic Draper Park School in the center of town was nearly demolished. The city owned it but could no longer afford to maintain or remodel it. It had become a safety hazard and a resulting liability. Just weeks before it was set to be demolished, a buyer came forward to purchase the old school in what some felt was a “Christmas miracle.” “It’s like most historic preservation, it’s usually expensive. We made it available cheaply for what was the demolition cost, with the requirement they had to save it. The developer turned it into a commercial enterprise. It was a win-win,” Mayor Troy Walker said. In the many months leading up to that last-minute “miracle,” community groups and individuals set about to raise funds, hoping to purchase and re-imagine the old school. But they weren’t able to raise nearly enough money. They repeatedly pled their case to the mayor and city council, hoping to save what they saw as a treasure, before it was turned into rubble. It was a contentious topic at council meetings that ended with a positive resolution for both the city and concerned community members, just in the nick of time. For some people, there is a strong sense of duty to consider the historic value of what surrounds them or risk losing it forever. And it’s often the role of everyday residents to push for preservation while a city’s leaders are focused on matters of growth, economics, and wise use of taxpayer funds. Todd Shoemaker is one such individual for whom history is a passion. Continued page 8
The Utah State Prison has been operating in Draper since 1951. Prisoners will be moved to the new prison west of Salt Lake City in the summer of 2022 and nearly all of the prison buildings will be demolished to begin development of The Point. (Photo courtesy Utah Department of Corrections)
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