The controversy about the demolition of the historic Fifth Ward LDS meetinghouse exposes additional concerns and hypocrisy.
In 1928, merely eighteen years after the dedication of the Fifth Ward, Salt Lake City taxpayers funded the construction of a community park at the intersection of 1300 South and West Temple. This baseball stadium was later named in honor of John Derks, a former Salt Lake Tribune sports editor. A remodeled stadium was built at taxpayer expense during the Deedee Corradini administration.
Currently the stadium is known as Smith’s Ballpark. For 104 years this historic structure has been preserved, having gained national acclaim as one of the most beautiful ballparks in America.
Today, while community leaders lament and condemn the demolition of the chapel, they’re intent on giving a green light to the Ute baseball program to abandon Smith’s Ballpark and build yet another stadium in Sunnyside Park on the East Bench.
The result of this unfortunate, self-serving goal of Ute athletics will result in the demolition of our historic ballpark as the Utes move on to greener pastures and as resident taxpayers confront the loss of public park lands and noise, traffic, light pollution and other impacts.
All this for 22 home games.
James Webster, Salt Lake City
