A park 'for the community': Auburn Grace has a vision for land across from church

Ryan Hooper, Kevin Ziegenmeyer and Linda Graham stood in a vacant lot Friday morning across from Auburn Grace Community Church. Unleveled now and covered in tall grass and weeds, rocks and a gravel cutout resembling a road, they envision Grace Park on this land in the future. "Grace Park is for the community," Ziegenmeyer said. Auburn Grace has reacquired six acres on this property between Bell Road, Olympic Way and Deseret Drive to create this park. A rendering shows a multi-sport field for soccer and youth baseball, bocce and pickleball, an amphitheatre, a terraced area, walking path, a veterans memorial and donor wall, a playground and a prayer garden. The group plans to resubmit what it believes will be its last civil drawing early next week and hopes to have a grading permit in April or early May. "Our vision literally is to see our community come here and use this place, see kids playing recreational sports, seeing senior adults walking, getting exercise, because Auburn definitely needs more outdoor space," said Hooper, executive pastor of Auburn Grace Church and a board member for Grace Park who oversees the sports outreach part of the park. "We're just hoping to provide that for the community." Ziegenmeyer said the vision to "bring this all back together" started with Senior Pastor Phil Sparling. The goal is a dawn-to-dusk park for all ages. Ziegenmeyer noted assisted living and intensive care on Bell Road, and beyond that, more independent living and "ambitious plans" for additional housing. "We want to address our super seniors all the way down to the young families with toddlers," Ziegenmeyer said. The group sees what Ziegenmeyer described as a "ready demand" for pickleball and bocce, and they said they've been approached by Auburn youth soccer. "It's a challenge for them to have practice and game space," he said. Beyond that, they see potential for perhaps July 4 celebrations and food trucks. "The goal is young families at play," Hooper said. "We can run flag football leagues here, youth soccer, tee ball, we can teach kids pickleball and bocce ball. We want to see life and energy here. We want community activity." To further introduce the Auburn community to Grace Park, a Spring Swing golf tournament is scheduled for Monday, April 20, at the Ridge. The tournament tees off at 11 a.m. with a light dinner buffet afterward. "The goal is another avenue to introduce the park project to the community and get people involved," Graham said. "We will educate people as they're playing, (with) different aspects of the park on different holes." Early-bird tournament fees are $150 per golfer and $500 per foursome. On March 20, fees increase to $160 per golfer and $600 per foursome. All funds raised will go toward the park. Graham said the group is still looking for local businesses "who want to get behind the project, maybe sponsor a hole or bring a team in. We're looking for a title sponsor." For information on Grace Park or the golf tournament, contact Hooper at ryanhooper@graceparkauburn.org or visit graceparkauburn.org.