Headline: Legacy Park symbolic of U’s role during Olympics

On Friday morning, the new Olympic Legacy Park was opened on the south end of campus next to Rice-Eccles Stadium. The park is a gift to the U from the Salt Lake Olympic Committee.

The park cost SLOC $13 million to build, and will stand as a reminder of the historic event that took place on campus.

Along with turning over responsibility of the park to the U, SLOC also presented the U with a $750,000 check to take care of its upkeep.

The new park is a welcome addition to the campus at the U. Not only does the park help to beautify the campus, but it also provides a setting where one can revisit the experiences felt during the 2002 Olympic Games.

During the Olympics, the U had the opportunity to play an integral part in hosting the Games. Both Opening and Closing Ceremonies were held at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The dorms provided housing for the athletes in what was called the Olympic Village.

Many have said that it is time to “build a bridge and get over the Olympics,” pointing to problems of parking, tuition increases and high student fees as problems the U should be addressing.

It is important for students to realize that the U greatly benefitted from its role in hosting the Olympic Games. Not only did the U receive much outside funding in the building of new dorms, but Rice-Eccles Stadium was also revamped with more seats and some remodeling.

The Legacy Park is symbolic of both the benefit and opportunity afforded to the U during the Olympic Games.

The park also provides a unique means whereby the gap between the U and the greater community may be bridged.

Entrance to the park is free, with the exception of a $3 fee to watch a movie of the games.

The park also includes an indoor and outdoor picture gallery, a water fountain honoring the medalists of the games, the Olympic Cauldron and the Hoberman Arch. Additionally, there will be a light show on the arch every night from dusk until 11 p.m.

During the Olympic Games, the U and the greater community were able to come together in a unifying spirit of hospitality. The park is an extension of the hospitality and spirit of unity that prevailed in the community for a short period of time. Hopefully, the park can live up to its name and serve as a means of perpetuating the Olympic legacy established during the games.