Last week, crews poured the concrete pad for what will become a futsal court in a pocket park tucked underneath the West Temple I-15 ramp. The space—somewhat awkwardly known as Mead Up in reference to the street that runs alongside it—is a novel attempt to reclaim for productive use what was otherwise a neglected and problematic patch of no-man’s-land in the shadow of the “People’s Freeway” (If you know, you know).
Readers may have seen some news reports about it in the traditional local outlets, as a press release announcing the start of “Phase One” construction went out and triggered the usual round of regurgitative coverage. But the work truly began a year ago, when volunteers, backed by the city and Central Ninth Community Council, cleared out the weeds and detritus that previously filled Mead Up, resurfaced it with playground mulch and painted the ramp towers an attractive SLC blue.
I pass through the area often, as 200 West is the best car-free alternative to State Street between Central Ninth and Ballpark. Mead Up lies just about halfway between the Trax stations on 900 South and 1300 South and those blocks of 200 West have so little vehicle traffic (sharing lane space with the trains … yikes) that it’s silly we allow drivers to use it at all…