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Riverton officials plan parking limits, staged access and temporary EOC for Town Days
Summary
City staff told the council they will restrict vehicle parking inside City Park for Town Days, stage officers at entry points, use nearby church parking, and set a temporary emergency operations center at the high school to improve safety and vendor access.
RIVERTON, Utah — Riverton’s Town Days organizers presented a revised event layout and safety plan to the city council on Tuesday, including new parking limits inside City Park, staged officer staffing, and a temporary emergency operations center (EOC) at the high school.
Cheryl, the city’s Town Days coordinator, said brochures went in the mail this week and that rodeo ticket sales were timed to follow brochure distribution. She told the council the park’s 507 parking stalls will be largely reserved for fireworks fallout, vendor staging and timed parking passes; remaining visitor parking inside the park will be minimal. “We have a total of 507 stalls in the City Park. I have to block up 22 of those stalls as the firework fallout zone. A 71 stalls for the food vendors because we are moving the food vendors… All our requirements only leave 52 stalls, basically,” Cheryl said.
To avoid vendor resupply problems experienced last year, organizers plan to relocate many food vendors to a parking lot on the 128th side of the park to allow easy refill access. To reduce gridlock and improve emergency access, the city will encourage attendees to use nearby church parking lots and neighborhood staging areas and will staff entry points with officers and crossing guards. Organizers are working with Salt Lake County Emergency Operations to supply additional emergency management support and ham radio operators for parade communications.
Cheryl described the temporary EOC location at the high school as a response to last year’s congestion in the park: if the parade route needs to be halted or cleared, officers and volunteers will open side streets and guide foot traffic out of the route. Council members asked about shuttle and ride-share options; staff said they have discussed potential UTA shuttle services or private providers but noted that for many attendees a shuttle trip may take as long as walking from nearby lots.
Council members voiced mixed reactions. Some said walking from church lots is an established expectation; others raised concerns about the walk distance in summer heat and potential impacts on neighbors who will host parking. Council member Perucci asked organizers to publicize an ask that chairs not be placed along the parade route until Monday, June 30, to respect residents. Public-safety measures will include specific officer placements and a traffic plan the police department will execute on event day.
Organizers also confirmed event entertainment and sponsorships: the headliner is Colin Ray, a performer with Riverton ties, booked with a reduced fee through local connections. The Town Days coordinator said sponsorship revenue helps offset a large portion of rodeo and entertainment costs, and that ticket and sponsorship revenue had outpaced rodeo expenses in prior years.
The council did not take an action tonight; staff said the parking plan and emergency operations details will be finalized with police and emergency management before Town Days.
