The aging and poorly maintained main entrance of Stansbury Park at the intersection of SR-36 and Stansbury Parkway will be getting a makeover courtesy of Stansbury Park Service Agency trustees.

The entrance, graced with nearly 30-year-old poplar trees, has endured damage from passing vehicles and strong wind gusts recently.

"It's a high-utility area and a transient area," said Stansbury Park Service Agency Chairman John O'Donnell. "It doesn't abut any residences so it has become the equivalent of a highway improvement project in that everyone uses it but no one is invested in it."

Looking for the most cost-effective way to transform the current conditions of splotchy grass coverage, haphazardly placed boulders, weeds and a nonasthetically pleasing concrete pillar bearing Stansbury's logo, O'Donnell said he and fellow trustees decided to make the project an in-house production.

"We just want to get the biggest bang for our buck," O'Donnell said. "We've allotted $44,000 for greenbelt projects this year, but we're not going to use a lot of that money because we're doing this in-house. It's not going to be an overnight project, but it should be largely underway within 45 days."

Trustees are hoping to recruit the help of community members to complete the project.

"If there are folks interested in the community who want to have a role in the beautification, they simply have to contact the agency office," O'Donnell said.

As many Stansbury residents are employed outside the Tooele Valley, O'Donnell feels that the main entrance is heavily used by commuters and should be an area that makes a statement.

"We want to enhance the entry way of Stansbury Park to provide a showplace so folks have a mindset when entering the park," O'Donnell said.

New plans include the removal of the Russian olive trees on the north and south side of the entrance and trees lining some areas of the center median; removing and storing boulders from the south side; planting shrubbery around a power box on the south side to hide it from view; turning and dressing soil in all three areas and asking for help from the local garden club or other interested parties to participate in additional planting; removal of the pine tree on the north side of the concrete pillar; repairing the cracking exterior of the concrete sign with a natural color of stucco and paint; and refurbishing the logo to give it a more up-to-date feel.

"The Russian olives are already gone. The pine tree is already gone. Soil is being turned," O'Donnell said. "It may be that that is enough, although non-exhaustive. Whatever we do is better than what is there."

Upcoming summer projects for the Service Agency include work around the golf course, beautification of the area in front of the clubhouse, pumping of the golf course ponds, sprinkler work, and continuing maintenance on the pool.

Jamie Belnap: jamieb@tooeletranscript.com