Jordan Park History
In 1918, Salt Lake City identified and selected 16 acres for the development of Jordan Park for $25,000.
The construction documents for the original 16 acre park have not been secured. However, an annual report notes that the park featured “gardens of unusual beauty, broad lawns, and several varieties of stately trees.” In 1923, a greenhouse was added to the park at a cost of $4,832 for the purpose of cultivating annual flowers to plant in the parks throughout the City each year.
By 1948, the park expanded to the north. A swimming pool and bathhouse were built by Jacobsen Construction for $64,900. In 1956, a Little League baseball field was constructed. The following year in 1957, the greenhouse located in the southeast corner of the park was expanded, plans to realign the Jordan River to the west were formulated, and two plots west of the park were purchased from Edwin and Vera Gold for $16,000. The property became part of the location for the International Peace Gardens.
On August 17, 1959, a gate at the southern entrance of Dalton Avenue into Jordan Park from 900 West was dedicated by the Salt Lake City Council of Women.
Major changes to Jordan Park occurred in 1972, when the park expanded to the southwest. Improvements included the addition of a pavilion with a fireplace, a terraced amphitheater with a fire pit, two barbeque units, horseshoe pits with a chain link fence around the perimeter, and more.
In 1986, pool and bathhouse improvements to the 1948 original design were completed. Improvements included the installation of an additional wading pool, new railings, ladders, and walkways; and pool resurfacing.
Plans to demolish the swimming and wading pool and replace them with a skate park were developed in 2001, although the existing bathhouse was retained. A grand opening for the skate park was held on April 12, 2002. In 2020, the bathhouse was demolished after gathering community feedback and factoring in the costs of dealing with break-ins and vandalism.
