Bend in the River

Located at 1030 W. Fremont Ave., Bend in the River came about through a partnership between Salt Lake City’s Parks & Public Lands Division, the University of Utah’s Lowell Bennion Center, and nearby neighbors to create an urban site devoted to ecological restoration, volunteer work, education, and research. City employees, community residents, local elementary students, university students, and other volunteers work together on a continual basis to restore habitat for wildlife, cultivate native plants along the riparian corridor, maintain and improve grounds for a variety of people and groups, as well as bring educational events to the site. The City’s Open Space Program also works closely with the Lowell Bennion Center to improve Bend in the River for human use with the intent to provide a clean, safe, and natural riparian environment as well as an experiential, inquiry-based indoor and outdoor alternative to traditional classroom learning. As Bend in the River grows into a working ecological system for beavers, bats, ducks, songbirds, cottonwoods, and grasses; a vibrant destination spot and corridor for bikers, runners, and walkers; and as an educational arena for elementary to college-based curriculums, the site will help instill a sense of community in the local area and its residents.

• Bend in the River is a site for environmental restoration and protection of ecosystem services. It is one of four river restoration sites completed by Salt Lake City in 2012. However, much work remains in order to improve the impaired water quality of the Jordan River in Salt Lake City.
• Ecological services and their improvement at Bend in the River promote long term environmental and community sustainability for the entire city, which ensures a healthy, livable community.
• The partnership between the City’s Open Space Program and the Lowell Bennion Center promotes student and community volunteerism through on-site restoration and service projects.
• Volunteers at Bend in the River merge urban and natural spaces in order to represent a dynamic natural and cultural landscape that the Open Space Program helps to support and steward.
• Bend in the River has space for academic and environmental education events for students and others which grants access to hands-on-learning and develops youth leadership.