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Magna Regional Park opens, giving West Valley City residents another recreation option

Nov 08, 2021 03:57PM ● By Darrell Kirby

Joy Beardall, 8, and her brother Benjamin, 11, of Magna enjoy their first visit to Salt Lake County’s Magna Regional Park, which opened in October. (Darrell Kirby/City Journals)

By Darrell Kirby | [email protected]

Salt Lake County’s newest park is now open and West Valley City residents can take advantage of it. 

Magna Regional Park officially welcomed the public following a ribbon-cutting in early October. 

The 28-acre facility at 4042 S. 7200 West is just across from the western boundary of West Valley City. 

It’s the first phase of what is planned to be a 62-acre park when the remaining two phases are finished sometime in the future as funding becomes available. But even at just under half of its full potential, the park offers plenty of amenities for adults and children: a multipurpose field, inclusive playground and splash pad, walking paths, pavilion, restrooms and parking. Inclusive playgrounds incorporate designs and equipment that make them accessible to people with a broad range of physical, mental and sensory abilities. 

“We’re excited,” said Walt Gilmore, associate director of planning for Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation. 

The park was made possible by voter approval in 2016 of a $90 million county parks and recreation bond to build new and improve existing parks, trails and recreation centers. The newly finished first phase of Magna Regional Park used $11.5 million of those funds. The land for the park was sold to the county by aerospace firm Orbital ATK with the intention that a future park would serve the community and provide a buffer between homes and testing that occurs on the company’s property nearby.  

Gilmore expects the park to attract visitors not only from its namesake township, but from West Valley City, Kearns, Taylorsville, West Jordan and other communities around Salt Lake County and beyond. 

“We expect between 1,000 to 2,000 people per day, mostly moms and kids,” Gilmore said. He expects a good number will bring chairs, shade tents, and other comforts to make a day of it when the weather allows. 

Just over a week after officially opening, Justin Beardall of Magna was enjoying the park with his two kids. “This is our first time. It’s great. It’s built well,” he said.

Benjamin, 11, agreed. “It’s wonderful. My favorite is the zip line and the jungle gym.”  

“I just love it because there’s things that you can play on and it’s really fun,” said sister, Joy, 8. 

The park is part of the vision to make Magna a better community to live and play. 

“Physical fitness, sports and outdoor activity, as well as beautification, are some of Magna Metro Township’s strategic planning priorities. The thoughtful design of Magna Regional Park embodies these priorities,” said Magna Township Deputy Mayor Trish Hull.

The park will have a full-time maintenance staff and facility. Cameras will provide 24-hour video monitoring for security. Park hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

The master plans for the full completion of Magna Regional Park and 14 other recreational spots in Salt Lake County can be found at slco.org/parks-recreation/planning/master-plans/.