Hunter Park: The Park That Neighbors Built 3605 S 6000 W
Hunter Park: The Park a Community Built
Hunter Park stands today as a living testament to what happens when neighbors roll up their sleeves and build something good together — one meeting, raffle ticket, and rose bush at a time.
5801 West 3500 South
A Dream Takes Root (1952)
It all began in November 1952, when a group of Hunter families came together to create a much-needed recreation area for their fast-growing neighborhood on Salt Lake Valley’s west side. They formed the first Hunter Park Committee, with I. Rushton as chairman, W.J. Jones as vice chairman, and Matt Pettersson Jr. as secretary. With help from civic-minded neighbors like George Kirby, Carter Hess, Ed Evans, Bishop E. Verne Breeze, H. Earl Day, Paul Jones, Ken Moesser, Sam Brown, Lee Evans, Van Clark, Fred Fonger, and Myron Powell, they set out to turn open ground at 6000 West and 3500 South into a true community hub.
Early Improvements and Community Grit (1953–1955)
By early 1953, the committee was busy transforming rough ground into welcoming fields. Kennecott and local businesses pitched in. Old trees were cleared and new lawns planted, 400 trees lined the golf course edge, and plans were drawn for a huge fireplace and barbecue ovens near the tennis courts. New dugouts framed the baseball diamond, and neighbors got ready for the first big event.
On June 26, 1953, the park celebrated its first major community day: the ballfield lights — one of only two lit diamonds in the county — flickered on as crowds cheered races between cars and horses, kids ran the bases, and families picnicked on hot dogs, hamburgers, and homemade treats. A raffle for a brand-new Birchcraft boat helped pay for even more improvements.
In 1954, the park turned one year old with a carnival and another boat raffle — proving that Hunter families loved to celebrate and pitch in.
By 1955, the Hunter Park Committee kept pushing forward. They raised new funds to expand improvements on land near 2700 South and 6000 West. In response, the newly organized Hunter Lions Club stepped up in a big way: they helped install a full sprinkling system, built a bowery complete with picnic tables, finished a baseball diamond, and laid out tennis courts — turning the community’s dusty dream into a true green gathering place.
A Garden of Roses (1958)
By 1958, neighbors were invited to plant their roots — literally. Residents donated rose bushes to create Hunter Park’s community rose garden. Each bush was tagged with the donor’s name and recorded in a special logbook kept in the pavilion. The next year, the community held a friendly contest for the most beautiful bloom.
Growing with Hunter (1965–1966)
As Hunter boomed, so did the park’s need for more space. In 1965, Salt Lake County Recreation purchased 17 more acres next to Whittier School. This land gave planners room to expand ballfields and play areas to keep up with the neighborhood’s families.
In 1966, the community set their sights on building a permanent bowery. On July 28, neighbors gathered for the official groundbreaking. That same day, the Hunter Little League played its championship game under the lights — a proud symbol of what the park had become. The Hunter Lions Club held another popular raffle for a boat, motor, and trailer — won by Ken Taylor, an employee at Hercules Powder Company — raising $1,500 for the bowery. Even the money from hot dog sales that night went straight back to the park.
Protecting and Planning Ahead (1967–1968)
Pictured: Hunter Lions: President Kent Cooke, Hunter Park Committee Chairman Walter Ewell and Member Willard Jones is a member of both organizations.
By 1967, neighbors were thinking ahead to protect what they’d built. In May, citizens, the Hunter Park Board, the Lions Club, county leaders, and families met at Whittier School to plan for civilian park watch efforts and brainstorm new improvements. The federal government pledged $6,000, with another $4,000 from Salt Lake County for new playgrounds, blacktop paths, and upkeep. Dedicated locals like John Hansen, Willard J. Jones, and Emil Feulner met personally with county commissioners to make sure every dollar would serve the park well.
By 1968, the Hunter Lions Club launched yet another benefit drawing — this time raffling off a fully furnished trailer — to keep funding improvements like lights, fireplaces, sidewalks, and the youth baseball complex, finishing what the community had started back in the early 1950s.
A Community’s Living Legacy
Today, Hunter Park may sit on county-owned ground — but it truly belongs to the people who dreamed it up, fought for it, funded it, and cared for it across generations. From its lighted diamonds to its rose garden and shady bowery, Hunter Park is living proof that when neighbors share their time, dollars, and sweat, they create more than just a park — they build a place that feels like home.
Over the years, Hunter Park’s original acreage has shifted as the surrounding community has grown and changed. Portions of the park were adjusted to accommodate expansions at Whittier School, the construction of the Mountain View Corridor, and other needed developments that reshaped the neighborhood’s landscape. Yet through every change, Hunter Park has continued to serve the people who built it — a green space where families gather, kids play ball, neighbors picnic under the bowery, and the spirit of community lives on, just as it did when the first shovel of dirt was turned all those decades ago
