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Mayor’s Message February 2013 Things are happening in Murray City! During the month of January, I have the opportunity to provide information to the City Council in the form of a State of the City Address. This speech was my last one of this type as Mayor and was a look back at the past 15 years of accomplishments. I was amazed to see all the changes that have come about through the years. The best part of it was reviewing the work of 2012 to recognize the progress that continues to be made day by day. Last month in my message, I mentioned some of the changes at the corner of 5300 South and State Street. We had many new facilities open to celebrate a new decade in 2000. Three light rail stations were operational in Murray with an opportunity to get the Trax system running smoothly in preparation for the Winter Olympic Games. Having this great alternate transportation system has served us well, far beyond the immediate need the Games represented. These three Trax stations have opened opportunities for other kinds of development in the City. They provide the staff at the Intermountain Medical Center an easy option to get to work and home again, saving parking resources for the patients. Transit Oriented Developments (TOD’s) have become part of our vocabulary as underdeveloped areas in the City have come alive as transit hubs. The new Murray Park Aquatics Center was opened in 2000 with a hydro tube slide for added water fun. It has been very popular through the summer months for swimming lessons and group outings. This facility also provides summer jobs for a number of youth in our area. The Murray School District coordinated efforts with the City and Kennecott Corporation to open a new Nature Center on the Murray Parkway. This building is a resource for educating students on wildlife, plants and water systems to create awareness of the ways we are stewards of the world around us. Salt Lake County reclaimed some of the property previously used for the County Fairs in Murray Park and built a new ice arena. The City participated with some of our Zoo, Arts and Parks funding to help provide this nice public amenity. It was built in time to be a practice arena for Olympic participants and is now used for open skating, lessons and hockey games. One of my favorite initiatives was completed in 2000 when the planters in the middle of State Street in our City were improved. They had been filled with over-grown bushes that were not very attractive. We began planting them with colorful annual flowers that have improved the welcome for those travelling through our City. I marvel at all the changes we have seen as things happen in Murray City. Thank you for joining me in the journey of reviewing and appreciating them.