|
This year marks Summit Land Conservancy’s 20th Anniversary as Park City’s local land trust–- 20 years of saving the landscapes that are the heart of our community. The first 20 years of forever…
To honor the places we have protected, we will highlight and share some of the stories about these precious lands and how the Conservancy has grown over the years.
In July 2012, the Summit Land Conservancy and Summit County signed a permanent conservation easement to protect 11 acres of prime land along the Park City entry corridor. The property, known as the Miss Billie’s Open Space, was named after "Miss Billie" who operated a local daycare located on the land. Miss Billie's Kids Kampus served many of Snyderville Basin's and Park City's residents from the 1970s to the mid 90s. Miss Billie's Open Space, home to Summit Community Gardens, boasts views of the Park City Ridgeline and Round Valley, public access with summer and wintertime trails, and a glimpse of a natural undeveloped landscape alongside the bustle of Highway 224.
"In the 1980s and 90s a small blue house stood under a large tree alongside the bumpy two-lane road that was Highway 224. Billie Koleman ran a daycare there, and their entry in the annual Fourth of July parade was a spectacle of cute kids in clever costumes.
Billie, and her husband Ike, retired from the daycare business about the same time that American Skiing Company bought the old ParkWest Resort and renamed it The Canyons. Highway 224 went from two lanes to four, and the 20 acres Ike and Billie owned was being eyed for a high-rise hotel.
But Ike and Billie had a different vision. They sold their back 10 acres to Snyderville Basin Recreation, which became the Matt Knoop Park, and they sold the front 11 acres to Summit County, which used open space bond funds for the purchase. The community wanted to preserve the view from the highway across the open field to the hills of Round Valley. They also wanted access for trails and possibly a community garden.
The little blue house was demolished as part of a firefighter training. Today, Summit Community Gardens flourishes on the conservation easement property, growing flowers, greens, and community. We are reminded of Miss Billie’s happiness that thanks to the conservation of this property, and the partnership with the Summit Community Gardens, the land and the big old tree will continue to hear the sound of children’s laughter."
Learn more about the Conservancy’s work and how you can save the lands and waters you cherish at www.wesaveland.org.
| 
