Ribbon cut on Pioneer Crossing Regional Park
Jul 20, 2023, 1:27 PM | Updated: 1:32 pm
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — We love our parks in the state. Now, there is a new one to add to the list.
Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation, West Valley City, and the Jordan River Commission cut the ribbon on Pioneer Crossing Regional Park on Thursday.
It is now easier to get to both sides of the Jordan River by bike or on foot.
The park is unique in that it offers the first adaptive boat launch and fishing pier along the Jordan River.
Courtney Custer, a Wasatch Adaptive Sports Cycle instructor is glad to see the addition.
“It felt super good, super freeing to be able to do that,” Custer said.
Custer is an athlete. From mountain biking and paddle boarding to kayaking, she is outside a lot.
It’s not always easy to get started.
“It feels like before I got paralyzed, you know, the opportunities were endless for outdoor stuff I could do. I could do literally anything,” she said.
NOW OPEN‼️
📍Pioneer Crossing Regional Park, West Valley City
Park runs alongside the Jordan River. It also has the FIRST adaptive boat launch and fishing piece along the river.
It’s a welcome sight for many.
Airing tonight on @KSL5TV.@SLCOParksandRec @wasatchadaptive pic.twitter.com/YE8bLT0Xfg
— Karah Brackin (@kbontv) July 20, 2023
“To show up to a public place as like accessing the outdoors and nature and to have something to, like, help people with disabilities independently means so much because you really never see that. Especially in the outdoors. People don’t really expect people in wheelchairs and with disabilities to use the outdoors,” Custer said.
What started in 2016, followed by construction in 2022, the Pioneer Regional Crossing Park spans 25 acres.
“This will be a key launching point for both adventurers on the water and on foot,” said Martin Jensen, Director of Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation.
West Valley City Police will also keep some bikes and ATVs at the park, so they can easily access and respond to the trail if needed.
“It wasn’t as hard as I imagined it was going to be,” Custer said.
She was among the first to visit the park. She hopes that other parks like this will follow soon.
“It honestly just kind of gives me a little bit more freedom and a little bit more of the perspective I used to have on life to be able to have another option to be able to go do,” Custer said.
The park is right beside the Utah Cultural Celebration Center — what they say today — they hope people can visit since it’s so close to the park.
