STOP EXPLOITING PROVO CANYON!

There is nowhere in the world like Provo Canyon!    Nestled at the base of Timpanogos and Cascade mountains, with its towering canyon walls, forests, river, waterfalls, trails and parks, it is a beautiful, natural sanctuary. For many of us in Utah, it is sacred space.  It deserves to be preserved and protected – not exploited and developed.

The proposed Vesper Amphitheater development project (which would include a 20 K seating amphitheater, hotels, shops, bridge, parking lots, etc.) is a huge threat to this canyon sanctuary and to the way of life for so many of us that love and spend time in this canyon – and to our children and grandchildren. 

Ironically, this project is being framed as a ‘restoration’ project, with words like ‘preserve’, conservation’, ‘stewardship’ being mentioned.   In reality, it is nothing more than "exploitation" of the natural beauty of Provo Canyon for the sake of massive development and profit.   It will also inevitably open the door to further development in the canyon.

This project is also being framed as a choice between a gravel pit and the amphitheater.    This is a false narrative. In reality, the gravel pit is 24 acres, but the proposed footprint of the development is roughly 110 acres. The additional acreage is public land that the developer would need to acquire.     Additionally, you pass the entrance to the gravel pit in a matter of seconds on the way up the canyon and it is barely visible from the road, due to the dirt embankments. The gravel pit ‘eyesore’ narrative is simply not reality – the ‘eyesore’ would be the concrete jungle Vesper wants to erect.

Vesper ownership (Spencer Shumway) and David Osmond are the same duo that tried to push Splash Summit Water Park to the base of Slate Canyon in Provo.    This is simply a different venture, a different narrative and a different canyon that would be ruined if this is allowed to go through, all for the sake of profit.

Aside from dramatically altering the canyon and way of life for those using it, there are significant challenges this project would bring – Environmental impact on the land, river, air and noise pollution, Wildlife habitat encroachment and safety, HUGE traffic congestion and danger (including blind curves at the venue and downstream bottleneck at the mouth of the canyon), recreation access, cost to taxpayers, etc.

Provo Canyon is simply the wrong place for this project.

There are potential solutions to this situation.   Provo City could purchase the gravel pit and either return it to its natural state or turn it into another beautiful park for people to enjoy.

We urge Provo City Planning Commission and Provo City Council to say "NO" to this project. There are many venues in Utah, but there is only one Provo Canyon.   Once gone – it’s gone forever. We have a moral obligation to preserve and protect this canyon sanctuary for ourselves and for future generations.

We urge citizens to get engaged in opposing this development project by doing the following:

Email Provo City Planning Commission, Provo City Council, Provo Mayor and Utah County CommissionersMake YOUR voice heard!
WHAT YOU CAN DO...
We need everyone to send ONE email to the following people below, before June 24th, when the Provo City Council will decide whether or not to allow the canyon to be re-zoned for commercialization!
Write ONE letter and email it to ALL of these addresses.
david@tribehouse.us (David Osmond of Vesper)
council@provo.gov (Provo City Council members)
marsha@provo.gov (Marsha Judkins Mayor of Provo City)
dspublichearings@provo.org (planning commission)
tinabean318@gmail.com (me so I can make a physical copy)

Sign the

Sign this petition and SHARE it to all your pages!
Spread the word, so the public is aware and can actively voice their opposition.  If we allow Provo Canyon to get re-zoned, say goodbye to things as we know them...and say hello to more and more encroachment for commercialzation!

Thank you!