By Kyle Thompson
Art and nature are coming together in Alpine, Utah County.
Fund raising has begun for a proposed 11 acre sculpture park adjacent to Alpine’s Art Center, said Jamie Moesser, director of Sculpture Park Arts.
The Sculpture Park is the idea of an internationally recognized artist, Dennis Smith, a native of Alpine, Moesser said.
“He wants a place for the community where art and nature complement each other, like parks in Europe and the Northeast,” Moesser said.
A few sculptures, mainly of animals, are already in place near the Art Center. Now the center is prepared to expand the park northward toward Dry Creek, Moesser said.
“Part of our plan is to preserve the creek. We’re also going ahead with the Sculpture Park by developing natural flora, the creek and trails,” Moesser said.
The park is designed to be interactive and totally public accessible. People would be encouraged to touch the sculptures as if they were part of the landscape, Moesser said.
“Public support for the park has been very positive,” Moesser said.
Moesser said a local developer has offered to donate an additional 12 to 15 acres to the park.
The developer, Craig Lott, suggested land south of the park be developed in clusters and for surplus land to be handed over to the park, Moesser said.
Charmayne Buckner, administrative assistant for Alpine’s planning commission, said there is support for the park itself, but the proposed expansion may take time to approve.
“The land in question is zoned for recreation and one acre lots only. There is some opposition to placing a higher density development in that area. We’d like to see more input before making a decision,” Buckner said.
The 11 acre project is expected to take three years to complete, Moesser said. Any expansion would extend the project indefinitely.
