Park City, UT
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Community Newsletter July, 2011
Get Hip to the Drip
Park City Water Department will be offering free Water Checks to Park City residents this summer. Water audits can show you how to water your lawn more efficiently and help you save money while continuing to enjoy a green landscape.
The four processes of a Water Check are to analyze your landscape and irrigation system to determine soil type, precipitation rate, water pressure, lawn root depth and sprinkler uniformity. Based on this information, a customized watering schedule will be developed for your landscape.
To schedule your free Water Check, please contact Tamara Lindsay at 435-615-5331 or tlindsay@parkcity.org
Raw Water Line Extension Project
The Raw Water Line Extension Project will extend Park City’s Raw Water Line from its current location at the intersection of Sidewinder Drive and Wyatt Earp to the north side of Kearns Boulevard (Hwy 248). The Raw Water Line is a key component of the Park City water system which conveys water from the Weber River near Rockport Reservoir to the new Quinn’s Junction Water Treatment Plant currently under construction. The Raw Water Line extends west from the Treatment Plant along the Rail Trail to Wyatt Earp. In addition to providing water to the new Treatment Plant, the Raw Water Line will provide raw water for outdoor irrigation at golf courses, ball fields, and parks which significantly reduces the amount of treated potable water used. In the future, the Raw Water Line will extend to the west across town and will terminate west of the Park City Municipal Golf Course.
During the summer of 2011, UDOT will be repaving much of Hwy 248 from the Park City High School to Kamas. This proposed work was unknown to Park City’s Water Department until recently. The Water Department would like to take advantage of this schedule and extend the Raw Water Line and a buried fiber optic conduit across Hwy 248 before UDOT’s work is finished. This will allow the water line to be installed using an open cut method rather than a jack and bore method. The open cut method is much simpler, will have the least impact to the community and will result in cost and time savings. The jack and bore method involves excavating large pits on either side of the road way and pushing the pipe under the road. Once the new pavement is installed, the open cut method will not be possible.
Advantages to the Project and Open Cutting Across Kearns
• Cost savings of approximately $50,000.
• Time savings of several weeks.
• Reduced impact to residents and traffic.
• Provides access to fiber conduit that will provide enhanced communication services to City facilities.
• Expands City’s network infrastructure.
• Allows for future communication opportunities and growth.
Fixed Base Automatic Meter Reading Project
The purpose of the fixed base project is to install radios at each meter site that are capable of transmitting reads remotely to the billing office. This project is 97.5% complete. The majority of the radio installations occurred in summer and fall of 2010, and the remainder of installations are happening now.
The Park City Water Department plans to use this system to more accurately monitor demand, locate leaks on a timely basis, obtain closing reads remotely, and monitor the watering ordinance remotely. In the next phase of the project, the City will provide a web interface for customers to access and monitor their individual accounts.
Summer Reading Club is in full swing!
One World, Many Stories: June 1st through August 14th. Come to the library to sign up.
Don't miss these Summer Programs:
Thursday, July 21st 2:00 pm
Join us for One World, Too Many Zombies, a Puppet Show from McMazing Tales! The program is free and recommended for all ages.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2:00 pm
Live Animal Show with Wild Wonders, exotic animal rescue and education group. Awaken your compassion for living things with 8 animals to learn about and touch. The program is free and recommended for all ages.
Leadership Park City
Park City’s national award-winning and ‘Best of State 2011”, yearlong community leadership program is accepting applications for its 18th year class. Deadline to apply is August 19. Additional information
Join the New Low Carbon Diet Challenge!
While large-scale environmental challenges are clearly daunting, it is also clear that each action we take has the ability to either be part of the solution or a contributor to the problem. It is, after all, the aggregate of all our individual actions which will create the future we leave for the next generation. It is in this spirit that we call upon you and your household to join us in being part of the solution, one pound of CO2 at a time.
Click here to learn more about the Low Carbon Diet and how you can get involved! This initiative is being sponsored by the City of Park City and we’ll be hosting numerous events throughout 2011 – join us!
Street Name | Rotomilling | Asphalt Paving |
Queen Esther: Deer Valley to Telemark Drive | Complete | July 12 |
8th Street: Park Avenue to Empire Avenue | Complete | July 14 |
Woodside Avenue: 8th Street to 10th Street | July 12 | July 14 |
Woodside Avenue: Park Avenue to 519 Woodside Avenue | July 11 | July 14 |
Snow Creek Drive: SR 224 to bridge | Complete | July 12 |
Deer Valley Drive: roundabout up 1,200' | July 12 | July 13 |
Sullivan Road: Miners Hospital to Park Avenue | Complete | July 14 |
Monitor Drive: Lucky John to new pavement | July 12 | July 18 |
Silver Cloud Drive: Meadows to Silver Cloud Court | July 12 | July 18 |
American Sadler: Lucky John East 550’ | July 12 | July 18 |
Estates Drive: American Saddler to Estates Circle | July 12 | July 15 |
Crescent Ridge: Three Kings to Gate | Complete | July 12 |
Senior Citizen Center | NA | July 14 |
Street Name | Asphalt Paving |
Meadows Drive: Evening Star to Sunny Slopes Drive | July 20-27 |
American Saddler: Meadows Drive to Lucky John | July 20-27 |
Deer Valley Drive East: Solamere Drive to Snow Park Lodge | July 20-27 |
Euston Drive: End to End | July 20-27 |
Lucky John Drive: Little Kate to American Saddler | July 20-27 |
Lowell Avenue: Mmanor Way to Empire Avenue | July 20-27 |
Quinn's Ice Rink parking lot and around building | July 20-27 |
*The above schedule may change
Recreation News
We’re kicking off more adult programs in August with Kickball & Co-ed 7v7 Soccer Leagues. Register your teams now, space is limited. Call our awesome staff at 615-5401 for more info or register online.
Comstock-Sidewinder Walkability Project
Phase I construction of the new pathway along Comstock Drive is currently underway. This phase includes work between Kearns Boulevard and Little Bessie.
Upcoming Events
Need help planning your summer activities? Click here for a list of upcoming happenings in Park City.
Green Your Routine
Looking for a quick list to help prioritize which foods you should buy organic? Check out the Shopper’s Guide to Buying Organic which was put together by the Environmental Working Group.
CityTour 2011 Dates for this year’s CityTour are September 7-11.
We will journey to Estes
Park and Ft. Collins, Colorado.
Sign up now!
News You Can Use
In June, City Council
Appointed Katherine Matsumoto-Gray, Judy McKie, Puggy Holmgren, and Alex Natt to the Historic Preservation Board.
Awarded the Comstock/Sidewinder Walkability Project construction contract to Miller Paving.
Adopted a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan for Park City.
Appointed Jack Thomas and Nann Worel to the Planning Commission.
Appointed Ray Townsend, Craig Moyes, and Paul Anderson to the Recreation Advisory Board
Adopted a Resolution declaring June 21-September 21, 2011 as “The Season of Civility”, Leadership Class XVII’s class project.
Parkites Check Your Mail! City Community Satisfaction Survey Opens
In the next few days 1,200 randomly selected households will receive postcards announcing that they have been selected to participate in the Park City Community Satisfaction Survey sponsored by Park City Municipal Corporation. More
Departments » Sustainability » For Homes
Cleaning Supplies
When looking for natural and non-toxic cleaning products, avoid anything with synthetic ingredients or fragrances, petrochemicals, VOCs, chlorine bleach, phthalates, formaldehydes and more. You should always read the labels of any product, and if a product does not have a label with ingredients then it almost surely has harmful chemicals inside. Look out for words like Caution, Warning, Notice and Danger, which could signal a potential harmful chemical. Learn more about healthy cleaning products here.
When purchasing natural cleaning products make sure they bottle includes a list of ingredients. You should be able to pronounce the names of all of them and should know exactly what each one is. The best kind of natural cleaning product you can buy should be made with simple ingredients that you could find in the store and make yourself.
Exposure to these toxins indoors can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches; loss of coordination; nausea; and damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous systems. And we certainly don't want ourselves, our family or our pets to come in contact with these toxins or experience any of these health problems. Children and pets are especially at risk because they experience a higher dose of toxins, not to mention their immune systems are still developing and not able to shed toxins from the bodies as quickly as adults.
There are three categories into which most of the hazardous ingredients in household cleaning products fall are:
1. Carcinogens – Carcinogens cause cancer and/or promote cancer’s growth.
2. Endocrine disruptors – Endocrine disruptors mimic human hormones, confusing the body with false signals. Exposure to endocrine disruptors can lead to numerous health concerns including reproductive, developmental, growth and behavior problems. Endocrine disruptors have been linked to reduced fertility, premature puberty, miscarriage, menstrual problems, challenged immune systems, abnormal prostate size, ADHD, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and certain cancers.
3. Neurotoxins – Neurotoxins alter neurons, affecting brain activity, causing a range of problems from headaches to loss of intellect.
Here are some startling facts about the chemicals found in cleaning products.
- 17,000: the number of petrochemicals available for home use, only 30 percent of which have been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.
- 63: the number of synthetic chemical products found in the average American home, translating to roughly 10 gallons of harmful chemicals.
- 100: the number of times higher that indoor air pollution levels can be above outdoor air pollution levels, according to US EPA estimates.
- 275: the number of active ingredients in antimicrobials that the EPA classifies as pesticides because they are designed to kill microbes.
- 5 billion: the number of pounds of chemicals that the institutional cleaning industry uses each year.
- 23: the average gallons of chemicals (that's 87 liters) that a janitor uses each year, 25 percent of which are hazardous.
- White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Borax
- Hydrogen Peroxide (3% concentration)
- Club Soda (plain)
- Lemon Juice
- Liquid Castile Soap
- Corn Meal
- Olive Oil or Walnut Oil
- Toothpaste
- Pure Essential Oils - like lavender, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and tea tree oils
With all of these ingredients you can make your own natural and non-toxic cleaning supplies, which cost a lot less as well.
- All-Purpose Cleaners: This cleaner can be used for just about every surface in your home, from kitchen counters and appliances to bathroom surfaces and walls.
- Carpet Cleaner: To clean and disinfect your carpet, blend 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup borax, and 1 cup cornmeal. Sprinkle mixture over rug and rub with a cloth. Let rest for several hours or overnight, then vacuum. An even simpler way to clean your carpet is to sprinkly plain baking soda on your carpet, let rest for an hour and then vacuum up. You can also add dry lavender buds to the baking soda for an extra fresh smell.
- Hard Floor Cleaner: This solution can be used for all hard floors (except when directed by the manufacturer to avoid even mild detergents): Combine 1/4 liquid castile soap, up to 1/2 cup white vinegar or lemon juice, and 2 gallons of warm water in a large plastic bucket. Use with a mop or sponge.
- Glass Cleaner: To make your windows shine, you can simply use club soda in a spray bottle. Add 1 tsp. of lemon juice to increase your window cleaner’s degreasing power. Leftover newspaper works very well to reduce streaks
- Bathroom Surface Cleaners: You can use the all-purpose cleaners recommended above or, for even simpler bathroom cleaning, use baking soda or borax as a scouring powder. For a softer scrub, combine 1/2 cup baking soda with enough liquid soap to achieve a frosting-like consistency. You may want to add 5-10 drops of an essential oil for fragrance. Club soda works wonders on plumbing fixtures.
- Toilet Cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda or borax, or pour white vinegar into the toilet, and let sit for a few minutes. Scrub with a good toilet brush.
- Oven Cleaner: Cover the oven floor with baking soda, spray with water until very damp, and let set overnight. Spray with water every few hours before you go to bed to keep damp. In the morning, clean out the baking soda, and the stuck-on gunk will be loosened and ready to scrub off.
- Drain Cleaner: Put two tablespoons of baking soda into/over the drain of your sink or tub. Then pour one cup of vinegar on the baking soda. This will begin to fizz a lot and is completely normal. Wait a few minutes, and then pour a kettle of boiling water over the soda/vinegar residue.
- Mold Remover: Combe 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar with 1 cup water. Spray on mold and do not rinse. You can also treat mold with a spray mixture of 2 tsp. tea tree oil and 2 cups water.
- Wood Polish: To polish wood furniture, dab olive oil or walnut oil onto a soft cloth and rub.
- Silver Polish: Just put some toothpaste on an old toothbrush or wet cloth and go to town. When you’re done polishing, rinse the item well in warm water and then dry with a soft cloth.