We’ve wrapped up another fantastic Taylorsville Dayzz, celebrating its 28th year, and I can’t thank all the volunteers, our city sta and, of course, TVPD for all their work to make it another success.
I had so much fun celebrating our city over the three days of festivities at the end of June, and hope you did, too. The city’s preeminent event featured a show-stopping lineup of free concerts, the Parade, 5K, Car Show, carnival, food booths and two nights of the best reworks in the state.
And as always, the live entertainment on the main stage was extraordinary, with Neil Diamond, Fleetwood Mac and Celine Dion tribute artists, as well as a Rock the Ages concert. We also saw record crowds this year. TVPD estimates that the event drew around 25,000 to 30,000 attendees on each of its three days. That’s more than 75,000 people, in all!
Our Taylorsville Dayzz 5K was also the most successful one yet, with 297 participants — just shy of the 300 runners’ cap. Our city parade float looked incredible, too, decked out in red, white and blue. In addition to the Taylorsville Dayzz Parade, the Youth Council accompanied it to parades in Murray and West Jordan, as well as the Days of ‘47 Parade.
Truly, Taylorsville Dayzz just can’t be beat. Residents who have moved often mark their calendars for a return visit to Utah speci cally for Taylorsville Dayzz, and family reunions are planned around it.
We give huge kudos to Taylorsville Dayzz Chair Jim Dunnigan and our Taylorsville Dayzz Committee. With a remarkable 25 years at its helm, Jim dedicates himself to putting on an outstanding Taylorsville Dayzz each and every year, and we can't thank him enough.
In fact, all of our committees in one way or another helped with Taylorsville Dayzz, including the Youth Council and Public Safety Committee. We are also deeply grateful to our Police Department, as well as the Uni ed Fire Authority and neighboring law enforcement agencies, for all their work to make it a safe event for all.
Our Team Taylorsville is simply amazing, and I want to thank them publicly for all they do in providing the absolute best service to our residents. It’s been a delight to hear so many positive comments from those attending about all the fun they had at Taylorsville Dayzz. We’ve broken our own records, and we hope that next year we can make it even better.
—Mayor Kristie S. Overson
WHAT’S INSIDE – AUGUST 2024
Frequently Called Numbers, Page 2
Council Corner, Page 3
TVPD News, Page 4
Heritage Remembrances, Page 7
Environment, Page 8
Taylorsville Park Project Includes New Skate Park, Access Road
Taylorsville Park has long been at the heart of the city, making up almost 7 acres at 4721 S. 1700 West, and its long-awaited renovation is now underway. Four new pickleball courts already have been constructed to the west of the park near the Taylorsville Senior Center and are open for play.
Renovation plans also call for a new play area and playground, new restrooms, basketball court, a large pavilion, connection to trails, and additional parking. But the cherry on the top is a new skatepark, with planned ramps at each end, banked curves and “rooms” featuring various elements.
City planners have been working with local skateboarding groups and individuals to bring some of the latest, cutting-edge features to the new skatepark. Speci c features include a bowl with a 4-foot shallow, 6-foot depth and 1-foot extension, down ledges, down rail, pole jam, mini-ramp, euro gap, slappy curbs, hip, quarters and quarter hip and ledges.
A road also will be installed into the park, connecting entry from Redwood Road to the Senior Center and signi cantly boosting “curb appeal.” Additionally, 229 new trees will be planted — more than quadrupling the original number of trees at the park, some of which had to be removed due to disease.
City leaders said they are looking forward to the improvements, noting how they will make a di erence for generations to come. A majority of residents also have expressed favor for more and updated parks in Taylorsville, according to the city's latest annual survey conducted by Y2 Analytics early this year. Residents further indicated that of the various funding projects in the city, they would most likely support funding for parks.
The improvements at Taylorsville Park are possible thanks to funding from Salt Lake County’s Tourism, Recreation, Culture, and Convention (TRCC) program with
Taylorsville Recreation Center ......................................... 385-468-1732
Swimming Pool (Memorial Day to Labor Day) 801-967-5006
Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center 801-281-0631
UDOT Region 2 801-975-4900
Utah Transit Authority (UTA) 801-743-3882
EVENTS
AUGUST 2024
Every Friday night through Sept. 13
Starry Nights @the Plaza. The food trucks arrive at 5 p.m. and most music starts at 7. See www.taylorsvilleut.gov for the full schedule and details about what’s happening each night.
Aug. 2 – 6 p.m.
Night Out Against Crime @ Centennial Plaza, 2600 W. Taylorsville Blvd. Have some fun and learn ways to stay safe!
Aug. 7 and 21 – 6:30 p.m.
City Council Meeting @ City Hall and online. Watch a livestream of the meeting on the city’s website, www.taylorsvilleut.gov
Aug. 13 and 27 – 6:30 p.m. Planning Commission Meeting @ City Hall.
Aug. 23 – 7 to 9 p.m.
Auditions @ City Hall for the Taylorsville Arts Council’s upcoming Movie Musical Revue. Come prepared with a song from any movie. Performances are Sept. 13 and 14.
UPCOMING: Sept. 21 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Fall Festival @ the Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center. Sponsored by the Historic Preservation Committee. Enjoy food, music, games and more!
UPCOMING: Oct. 18
An Evening of Art @ the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center. Meet artists Tom Howard and Nate Brimhall and hear about their work. It’s a free event sponsored by Plaza +ART.
Find our calendar of events every month on the city’s website, where you can also submit your own events for possible publication. Go to www.taylorsvilleut.gov
PARK PROJECT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
matching funds from the city. Summit Park, a ectionately called Tank Park, is funded through RDA (redevelopment agency) funds. That planned new park will be located on the 16-acre space next to the two water tanks at the northwest corner of 6200 S. 3200 West.
Four new pickleball courts also were built and have opened there. Plans for Summit Park include the construction of a play area, restrooms, parking and a pavilion. City o cials put out a bid for construction of the two projects in January.
The work on Taylorsville Park is expected to be complete by the end of this year.
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COUNCIL CORNER
By Council Member Ernest Burgess
Taylorsville is Where Volunteers Serve to Make Our City a Better Place
No question about it, Taylorsville volunteers make our community go around. We simply could not accomplish all the things we do in the city without them.
From our recent Annual Cleanup Day, upcoming Night Out Against Crime, and many theater and musical productions to our preeminent Taylorsville Dayzz event and even the operation of the Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center and Food Pantry, the resounding success of each of these and much more is a credit to the dedication and hard work of all those volunteering in our city. By contributing their time, volunteers create great value in our city and actually keep our taxes down.
We simply could not a ord to pay for all the manhours that the city’s volunteers freely give. And like our city employees whom we also greatly appreciate, they provide this time with a compassion for our city and desire to help.
Our volunteers are not only an integral part of our community, they are our community. Take the Taylorsville High Football Team, for instance. They have made our Annual Cleanup Day a resounding success for three years running now. They have volunteered their time to gather the items that residents drop o for recycling and safe disposal. They have provided the manpower that we simply did not have before and have made the event more successful than ever.
The team has done the heavy lifting and kept the Cleanup Day moving e ciently. Football Coach Chris
“Rosy” Rosales sees the big picture and the impact that the activity has on his players in combination with the bene ts of service to the city. And we can’t thank him and his team enough for their contributions. Volunteering gives one a sense of purpose and pride in their city, and it is the best way to truly make a di erence.
Of course, we are always looking for more volunteers to help. We encourage those who are interested in volunteering to go to our city website, www.taylorsvilleut.gov under the “Our City” and “Committees & Volunteers” tabs, and then look through the many different committees currently assisting the city. Choose what works best for you and what looks interesting. Come serve your city!
On another note, I wanted to inform you about the pilot recycling program at Vista Park, now in its second year. During the rst year of the program, ve of the Wasatch Front Waste & Recycling District (WFWRD) blue recycling cans with labels on the lids were placed at three di erent ball eld locations in the park, primarily to serve youth baseball and softball leagues. Limited to modest amounts of beverage containers (i.e., plastic bottles and aluminum cans) and cardboard/ paperboard were collected.
During the past winter, the committee (again made up of volunteers) recommended that WFWRD increase the number of recycling cans to 13 and expand the locations the cans would serve within the park. The additional cans were placed within the park at the end of May. A Green Committee member has visited the park several times during ballgames and asked spec-
Taylorsville High Softball Team Recognized
Undefeated this year in the region, Taylorsville High's Softball Team was honored by Mayor Kristie Overson and the City Council for their winning season.
"This amazing group of young women not only focused on winning games, but they also made a goal to make the City of Taylorsville proud and to be great role models for their community," Mayor Overson said at the June 19 City Council meeting.
Overall, the team outscored their opponents 107-30. The team's accomplishment as undefeated region champs last happened in 2011. Mayor Overson also noted several other impressive stats, including:
• A 16-7 overall record
• 141 RBIs
• 82 stolen bases
• 618 batters faced
• 177 strikeouts
• 194 runs scored
• 21 homeruns
• 126 innings pitched
• 387 putouts
They also started the season with two new coaches, who applauded the team for taking consistent, small steps toward implementing a winning culture. The Warriors ended up nishing No. 6 in their 5A division and No. 22 in state.
"This team has proven that with hard work and belief, you can really do the unexpected," Mayor Overson said.
You can watch the recognition of the team in a video clip of the meeting's livestream, found at www.taylorsvilleut.gov under the News section.
tators, vendors, coaches, etc. to use the blue cans for recyclable materials. Limited feedback obtained during those visits indicates that more signage on the side of the blue cans and elsewhere at the ball elds would help promote recycling at Vista Park. Consequently, implementation of further signage is planned.
Thus far this year, an encouraging increase in the amount of recyclable material has been observed in the blue cans at the park. Thank you, again, to our Green Committee volunteers and of course, WFWRD — a much-appreciated and key partner of the city.
for Winning Season
LEFT TO RIGHT:
Bob Knudsen, (District 5), Curt Cochran, Chair (District 2), Anna Barbieri, (District 3), Meredith Harker, Vice Chair (District 4) and Ernest Burgess (District 1)
TVPD Bike Squad Fights Crime, Certifies 3 More Officers
Check this space each month for news about the Taylorsville Police Department (TVPD) and their valuable service to our community.
Taylorsville Police Department recently joined up with the Utah Highway Patrol in certifying three additional o cers for our TVPD bike squad. We use bikes to patrol the Jordan River, Taylorsville shopping centers, and during public events such as Taylorsville Dayzz.
Bikes provide greater mobility and accessibility in parks, trails and congested areas, allowing for faster response times and closer community interaction compared to patrol cars. TVPD also partners with the Utah Department of Natural Resources and Salt Lake County in patrolling the Jordan River.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Congratulations to O cer Lenz, our latest Employee of the Month. O cer Lenz has more than seven years of experience in law enforcement and is currently assigned to our patrol division. Prior to hiring on with TVPD in 2021, he served as an o cer with the South Salt Lake Police Department.
Officer Lenz has experience working in patrol, traffic and various detective positions focused primarily on domestic violence and special victims-related crimes. He has also assisted as a detective in a variety of cases including homicide, attempted homicide, major crimes and property crimes. He holds several certifications related to these positions and is an exceptionally wellrounded o cer.
O cer Lenz was nominated as Employee of the Month by our Assistant to the Chief, Brandy Stephens, who cited the positive reports she receives about him from Taylorsville citizens and o cers. She stated that O cer Lenz “proactively patrols our city in search of those who would take advantage of our citizens, regularly locates these o enders and is persistent in his investigation to ensure the o enders are held accountable.”
One specific example of Officer Lenz’s outstanding work involves several charity scams seen in the city. These scams feature individuals with cardboard signs that solicit money and falsely suggest a tragedy or death has occurred. TVPD recommends that citizens only donate money through well-vetted charity organizations. This includes not giving money to individual panhandlers. Please visit the following websites to learn more about avoiding scams in general: consumer.ftc.gov/scams, fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety and attorneygeneral.utah.gov/utah-consumer-protection.
The charity scam was serious enough to involve the Utah Attorney General’s O ce and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Through O cer Lenz’s e orts, the individuals behind these scams were held accountable. However, any funds donated by citizens are lost and cannot be recovered. The best way to combat this type of crime is for our citizens to be aware and refrain from donating to unveri ed sources.
In his free time, O cer Lenz enjoys spending time with his family, gol ng, hunting, shing, playing video games and simply being outdoors. O cer Lenz is an exceptional o cer, and we are grateful for his service to our community and Team Taylorsville!
Employees Recognized,
State of City Delivered at 28th Annual Awards Night
The city’s many star employees recently were honored at the 28th annual City Awards Banquet, where Mayor Kristie Overson also presented the State of the City address that recognized Taylorsville as strong and ourishing.
In all, 17 awards, plus milestone recognitions noting length of employment, were presented at the banquet on April 30. As in past years, the night centered around honoring the city's stars. This year, though, the theme centered around the stars of the movies or lm, so city awards were named with witty titles such as "The Terminator Award," "Wonder Woman Award," "Mary Poppins Award" and "The Avengers Award."
TVPD Chief Brady Cottam also presented police department awards, recognizing lifesaving e orts and distinguished service, as well as supervisor, o cer, detective and civilian of the year. A booklet was compiled, describing the amazing work of each TVPD recipient.
"Of all of the cities in the state, we truly do have the best team right here in this room," Mayor Overson said in her State of the City address. "Our Team Taylorsville, I would stack up our team against anyone in the state. We celebrate your bold, unyielding spirit of innovation and your dedication to all that is good."
In addition to the State of the City, details or each award recipient and their pictures can be found on the city’s website, www.taylorsvilleut. gov, under the News section.
THE AWARD WINNERS ARE:
TVPD Medal of Honor – O cers Haggard and McKinnon, and WVCPD Det. Thompson.
Police Star – O cers Berg, Teynor and Sargent, and Sgt. Marriott.
The Terminator Award – City Hall Custodian Dave Jackson.
TVPD Lifesaving Award – O cer McKeon and Dets. Dean, Landol and O’Gwin.
The Wonder Woman Award – GIS Planner Karyn Kerdol .
TVPD Distinguished Service Award – Dets. Hamatake, Andrew, O’Neil and Christensen, and for speci c cases: Sgts. Neal and Bennett, and O cers Thomas, Hunt, Houghtalen and Gerber; and UPD Lt. Fowler, WVCPD Sgt. Averett, Sgts. Palmer and Bennett, and O cers Albrecht and Houghtalen.
The Mary Poppins Award – City Council Coordinator/Youth Council Advisor Kristy Heineman.
TVPD Meritorious Service Award – O cers Lenz, Bang, Carter, Clu and Mecham, Det. Espinoza, Sgt. Keller and Animal Services O cers Werner, Jones and Morse for a speci c case, and Det. Winslow for another.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Award – Senior Planner Jim Spung.
TVPD Supervisor of the Year – Deputy Chief Miller. O cer of the Year – O cer Smith.
Detective of the Year – Det. Winslow.
Civilian of the Year – Records Manager Donny Gasu. The Avengers Award – City Attorney Tracy Cowdell.
TVPD Unit Citation – Dets. Gri th, Hamatake, Winslow, Cameron, Christensen, Andrew, Jensen, Landol and O’Gwin, Sgt. Palmer and Deputy Chief Lloyd.
Chief's Award – Det. Jensen; Utah Department of Public Safety Chief Pilot Bowman, Pilot Tugaw, Pilot Smith, Pilot Harrison, Task Flight Sgts. Napierski, Jensen, Freckleton and Task Flight O cers Middaugh and Hainey.
The Top Gun Award – Building Permit Coordinator Maribel Cortez.
New Businesses Celebrate Grand Openings in Taylorsville
Among the new businesses opening in Taylorsville over the past few months were Chipotle Mexican Grill, Jade’s Deli, Tea & Brown, Bricks & Mini gs and Tita’s Restaurant. They celebrated with Ribbon Cutting events and are detailed below:
1. CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL — The Taylorsville restaurant, located at 5400 S. Redwood Road, is now one of 32 locations in Utah.
Chipotle is an international chain of fast casual restaurants specializing in bowls, tacos and mission burritos made to order in front of the customer. Their new Taylorsville location features the brand’s signature Chipotlane, a drive-thru pickup lane that allows guests to conveniently grab digital orders without leaving their cars.
The restaurant is open every day of the week, from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
2. TITA’S RESTAURANT — From their huevos benedict for breakfast to seafood treats like ceviche curtido en limón or their pez relleno to chef’s specialties such as the mole or a tasty taco, Tita’s Restaurant serves up delicious Mexican food every day of the week.
The family-owned restaurant prides itself on serving authentic dishes bursting with avor. Enjoy top-notch Mexican cuisine in a welcoming atmosphere with friendly, attentive service. The new restaurant is now open for business in Taylorsville at 2716 W. 5400 South.
They are open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
3. JADE’S DELI — The Vietnamese cuisine at Jade’s Corner Deli is “e ortlessly delightful.” Enjoy fresh spring rolls, crispy pork belly and rice, a fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, smoothies, Vietnamese puddings and pastries and much more.
You can nd it all at the new deli in Taylorsville, located at 2991 W. 4700 South. According to the restaurant, its visionary founder and culinary artist, Brenda Xa, was raised in a nurturing Vietnamese household “where every moment revolved around the enchantment of home-cooked Vietnamese delicacies.”
The deli o ers the “freshest ingredients, all meticulously crafted with a generous serving of homemade love.”
4. TEA & BROWN — The boba tea shop Tea & Brown has opened in Taylorsville, at 5486 S. 1900 West. From a Brown Sugar Bubble Milk to a Mango Pomelo Frappe or a Passion Fruit Yakult, you can choose from more than 40 varieties and refreshing tea avors. Pick up a tea at their shop or order online at teanbrowntaylorsville.com.
Boba tea, also known as bubble tea, originates from Taiwan and features a blend of tea, milk and selected fruit avors with chewy tapioca pearls at the bottom. Tea & Brown teas have been complimented as refreshing and not overly sweet.
Tea & Brown is open seven days a week, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
5. BRICKS & MINIFIGS — At this LEGO specialty store, you can purchase preloved LEGO sets, loose bulk bricks, mini gures and other LEGO items including new inbox sets. Called Bricks & Minigs, they are located at 5644 S. Redwood Road.
You can also sell or trade your old LEGO collections at Bricks & Mini gs, and they host birthday parties, too. The Taylorsville store is one of ve in Utah and among more than 100 Bricks & Mini gs locations nationwide. In 2021, Bricks & Mini gs was named one of “Entrepreneur” magazine’s 500 Best Franchises as well as the No. 2 Children’s Retail Brand.
Bricks & Mini gs is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Read additional details and more about other new businesses opening in Taylorsville on the city’s website, www.taylorsvilleut.gov.
