By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Juab County Commissioners determined to apply for a Utah
Motorboat Access Enhancement Program grant for a Mona
Reservoir Park Access Improvement Project.
Bruce Hall, the local health officer, placed Juab County
on notice that they must provide restroom facilities for the
public using the Juab County Mona Reservoir Park.
"We need the money from the grant to make improvements,"
said Wm. Boyd Howarth, commission chair. "We have a high tax
base here. We don't get a lot of revenue from the people who
come here to recreate because they come prepared with
lunches and full gas tanks. Visitors just don't spend a
whole heck of a lot in our county."
Mike Seely, county administrator, told commissioners that
the funding application would be entered with the federal
aid coordinator of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
for a four-part improvement project slated for construction
this summer.
"The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Sport Fish
Restoration Act, Motorboat Access funds may not be more than
75 percent of the funds requested," said Seely.
In addition, the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation,
General Fund, may not provide more than 25 percent of the
funds requested.
Seely said the use of the county park has resulted in a
health hazard since there are no toilets or solid waste
collection devices at the park. As a result, the Central
Utah District Health Inspector sent a letter to the
commission concerning water quality and health risks at the
reservoir.
"Juab County will provide in-kind matching assistance
through contributing the Heavy Road Equipment, manpower, and
aggregate and road base to construct the restroom and boat
ramp sites and will provide excavation, grading, and gravel
for the gravel county access road for the hot mix asphalt
overlay, if approved," said Seely.
The project for which Juab County is requesting
assistance includes: Funding to build a sanitary public
toilet located in the five-acre county park; funding to
improve and construct a concrete boat ramp and dock, funding
for blacktop asphalt overlay on the parking areas in the
county park and for the county access road, and funding for
approximately six fire rings, six picnic tables, and six to
12 trash cans or trash receptacles.
The project estimate, with access road improvements, is
$147,000. The county's in-kind share would be,
approximately, $20,000.
"If approved, the estimated construction starting date
would be in March, of this year, and the completion date
would be September 2000.
"The county purchased five acres of land near the North
West Dam of Mona Reservoir approximately two years ago and
created the Juab County Mona Reservoir Park to serve the
heavy use demands of fishing and recreation at the
reservoir," said Seely.
In addition to the park, the county also maintains a
gravel county access road leading from the Goshen Canyon
Highway to the North West Dam and Juab County Mona Reservoir
Park. The county also constructed, at the time of the
creation of the park, several gravel parking areas and ramps
and maintains a dirt and gravel motor boat access ramp.
"An adjoining landowner has also established the 'Mona
Kona' Camp Ground for public use purposed," said Seely. This
campground is filled up virtually every weekend during the
summer months.
The reservoir is a widely used fishery and boating
recreation area, said Seely. The reservoir is heavily used
by taxpayers from all over Central, Southern, and Northern
Utah, particularly those from counties such as Davis, Salt
Lake, Utah, Weber, Sanpete, Millard, Sevier and Juab.
"It is estimated that 25,000 plus visitor days a year
occurs at Mona Reservoir for boating, angling and
recreation," said Seely.
Completing the project would eliminate the health hazard
and improvement to the ramps and parking areas would
eliminate the constant air quality by eliminating the
dust.
It is expected that there will be an increase of 10
percent to 30 percent in the next few years. The increase
would result in an additional 10,000 visitor days
annually.
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