Park City gathering will highlight the ‘real human experience’ of community

Jay Hamburger/Park Record
Parkites on Wednesday will be asked some of the questions that have proven difficult to answer for years.
How does Park City fit into the regional landscape, is a question that may be put before them. And in what ways should the community reimagine the transportation system could be another one asked of the crowd.
The firm the municipal government tapped to manage an ongoing exercise designed to craft a community vision is scheduled to lead a gathering dubbed the Park City Future Summit on Wednesday. The event is seen as an important step in the overall efforts. The Minneapolis-based Future iQ envisions the Wednesday event as an opportunity to synthesize the work to date.
“It’s a significant pivot point in the process,” said David Beurle, the CEO of Future iQ.
Beurle said it is important community input be gathered again since the work has reached a midpoint. The event on Wednesday will act as a “mini-celebration,” he said.
Some of the other topics that could be broached on Wednesday include how the Park City tourism industry may evolve. A changing climate and the possibility of another Winter Olympics being staged in the region are issues that are being considered as part of the exercise to create a vision for Park City, he said.
“How do you get that balance right,” Beurle said.
The event will also feature a panel discussion with four or five people from Park City who have been involved in the process. They will offer perspectives on the efforts and, according to Beurle, present a “real human experience” regarding living in Park City.
A question-and-answer session is slated. Future iQ will also ask the crowd questions about topics like the urgency of certain issues with answers compiled in real time.
The visioning efforts this year are the first since 2009 and in the last 10 years there have been momentous changes in the community. Park City enjoyed a strong emergence from the recession in the years after the 2009 efforts. Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort were each sold in the ensuing years, bringing what many see as a corporate vibe to the community. There have also been widespread concerns about traffic and housing.
The economy, the corporate nature of the ski industry, housing affordability and the related topics of traffic and transportation have been addressed heavily during the broader visioning efforts. It seems like the topics will be broached again on Wednesday in some fashion since many Parkites remain interested in them.
The efforts will continue after the Wednesday gathering as additional sessions are held and the data is analyzed. Future iQ anticipates the final visioning report will be completed in the first quarter of 2020.
The event on Wednesday is scheduled from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the Santy Auditorium at the Park City Library. For more information, contact Linda Jager, who is the community engagement manager at City Hall, at linda.jager@parkcity.org or 615-5189.
Skate with Santa at the Park City Ice Arena
Santa Claus returns to the Park City Ice Arena on Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 5 to 7 p.m. for the annual Santa Skate! Don’t forget to bring your ski or bike helmet to wear while you’re on the ice. Complimentary skating and rentals.

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