UTAH OLYMPIC PARK’S $3 MILLION POOL & RAMP RENOVATION
Head to Utah Olympic Park (UOP) on any random summer day and you will find an eclectic mix of people participating in a variety of exciting, unique activities. Built in 1993 as a venue to host the 2002 Winter Olympic competitions of bobsled, skeleton, luge and ski jumping, UOP could have become a stale relic of glory days gone by, as other Olympic venues around the world have done. Instead, it’s a thriving, year–round Olympic training center, youth sport development facility and one of Park City’s most popular tourist attractions.
A unique feature of UOP is its 700,000 gallon pool, long considered the go-to venue for aerial skiers from around the world looking to perfect their in-air tricks. It’s also used to showcase to the public what these aerialists can do.
After more than two decades of consistent use and deterioration, the UOP pool and freestyle ramps are undergoing a $3 million renovation and expansion, dubbed, “Project Big Air.” According to Colin Hilton, President/CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, “Eight new, modular ramps that will require little maintenance and accommodate more skiers will be installed. And the pool will be expanded to over one million gallons.” Expected to be complete in June 2015, the project is a joint effort by the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.
“Project Big Air,” said Hilton, “will modernize our facilities to meet the new and progressive ski and riding disciplines. It will also engage Utah’s youth in introductory and development level programs as well as Olympic level training.”
