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INSIDE SPRING 2017 CITY NEWS | ACTIVITIES | PROGRAMS | INFORMATION | PROGRAMS ACTIVITIES | NEWS CITY INSIDE SPRING 2017 3 MAYOR PIKE’S MESSAGE By: Mayor Jon Pike 4 COOMBS BECOMES THE CITY’S NEW ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR Welcoming Trevor Coombs 5 THIS KIND OF FUN IS GOOD FOR YOU MAYOR PIKE’S MESSAGE Georgefest has become the Premier Southern Utah Entertainment Destination 6 DOWNTOWN The Future of Downtown St. George 8 TWENTY YEARS OF SUPPORTING NATURE & TONAQUINT PARK Providing More Unique Outdoor Adventures for the Public 10 KENTUCKY LUCKY CHICKEN ANYONE? By: Lukas Brinkerhoff, Dixie Mountain Bike Trails Association 11 ST. GEORGE BIKE PARK RAP Tax Project is Underway I hope that more and more we will enjoy May is Bike Month in St. George, and we plan the many outdoor activities St. George and to make a big deal of it! 12 ST. GEORGE WELCOMES NEW Washington County have to offer! It’s one of DIRECTOR OF LEISURE SERVICES the reasons many of us choose to live here. • On May 8th at 6:00 PM we’ll do another | VOICES | CITY PIKE’S MESSAGE MAYOR Welcoming Shane McAffee It’s also one of the many reasons others one of our “Bike with Pike” events at choose to visit St. George. the Confluence Trailhead. It’ll be fun, 14 PARKS & TRAILS I good exercise, and we’ll have food for the Park Planning Division’s Upcoming Projects On April 5th I enjoyed leading a large whole family as well! group of people on a short bike ride from • May 10th is Bike to School Day. This year 15 YOU’RE INVITED! Confluence Trailhead near the Dixie Center we’ll bike with Sunset Elementary School to the Thunder Junction All Abilities Park, on students and Principal Horrocks. Happy 20th Anniversary St. George Art Museum to Cottonwood Cove Park, and back to the • May 12th will be the Bike Film Festival Confluence Trailhead. This group included where we’ll show bike film shorts and 17 CALENDAR OF EVENTS mayors, city council members, and their provide giveaways for those in attendance. Spring into Activities for the Whole Family families who were in St. George for the Utah Watch for details about location and time League of Cities and Towns annual spring on Facebook and at sgcity.org. 23 CONTACT INFO conference. It was so fun to show them just a • May 15th-19th is Bike to Work Week. I City Official’s Numbers & Emails little bit about our parks and trails. It was also plan to ride my bike to work every day enjoyable to see some who hadn’t ridden a that week and challenge others to do the ON THE COVER: bike in years come and experience it again same or as many days as they can! Snow Canyon State Park and to have them ask for suggestions about Photo by Dave Becker how to create something like what we have Whether you can participate in any of these in their cities or towns. events or not, I hope everyone will do something to get out and enjoy our trails DESIGN/LAYOUT CITY COUNCIL MAYOR While a few of our trails have been closed and the beautiful St. George spring weather. Kami Wilkinson Joe Bowcutt Jon Pike recently to make repairs and due to I-15 Bring a family member or a friend and it’ll be Jimmie Hughes bridge construction between exits 4 and even more fun! Have a wonderful spring! 5, I hope during this beautiful time of year PUBLISHER Michele Randall CITY MANAGER | SPRING 2017 | VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 2 VOLUME | | SPRING 2017 many of us will spend time on our paved and Southwest Publishing Bette Arial Gary S. Esplin Ed Baca unpaved trails. 3 PAGE Inside St. George is provided by Southwest Publishing. All information and editorial has been provided by the City of St. George and is intended for the education and enjoyment of its readers. The contents may not be reproduced without consent of the publisher. Errors are not the publisher’s responsibility Jon Pike PAGE 2 PAGE and the publisher is not held liable for any inaccurate information. City of St. George Mayor THIS KIND OF FUN IS GOOD FOR YOU! COOMBS BECOMESTHE BRIGHTER THE SIDE CITY’S NEW For the past two years, southern Utah residents and ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR visitors have heard the familiar refrain. It’s the motto (and In June of 2015, George Streetfest on Main (now known simply guiding philosophy) of Georgefest, the popular community as Georgefest) began as a relatively modest event, with the celebration that takes place in Historic Downtown St. majority of the entertainment and family-friendly activities George on the first Friday of each month. Soon to celebrate – including performances by local musicians, games, food its second anniversary, Georgefest has become the premier vendors, and street artisans – concentrated downtown Fsouthern Utah entertainment destination for locals and at the intersection of Main and Tabernacle streets. Said tourists alike. What’s now an event attended by several Thorpe, “From the start, it was crucial to our team that we thousand people monthly began as a wish by one longtime offer entertainment that would appeal to all age-groups, resident to honor the past. A few years back, documentary and that would inclusively draw parents with children.” filmmaker – and Southern Utah University Adjunct Instructor – Melynda Thorpe was doing research for an upcoming As word of the event spread, Georgefest’s coterie of fans project, and began immersing herself in the area’s history. steadily increased. With St. George offering the ideal climate Coincidentally, at the same time, an associate approached for nighttime entertainment al fresco, Historic Downtown Thorpe, who also has an extensive resume in public relations was soon the place to be every first Friday. Today, event production, about putting on a first Friday event. Georgefest has transformed into a sprawling monthly party spanning several Downtown blocks, complete with DJ- “While doing my research about the pioneers who led dance party on Tabernacle Street, a food truck village, came to the area in the mid-1860s, I learned that street buskers (singers, jugglers, musicians and the like) they loved gathering in the evenings at the center of performing for tips, a photo booth, games and activities for town,” Thorpe said. “They would share meals together, the youngest of attendees, face-painting, artisans offering Managing the City’s finances is a tall order as Finance Director on the Washington sing, dance, and celebrate the fruits of their labors as hand-crafted jewelry and other items, and the best of local, these days but one that Trevor Coombs is County Flood Control Authority and Council the desert cooled in the evening air. So, as I began regional and national musical entertainment on Main Stage exc i te d a b o u t . H av i n g m ove d to A m e r i c a n Fo r k of Government’s Corridor Preservation. thinking about a monthly event, it made perfect sense from 6 to 10 p.m. At the Georgefest Jazz Garden – now last fall to take a position as that city’s finance to pay homage to those early pioneers and to recreate presented by The Desert Pulse – the initial jazz fare has director, he is glad to be back in St. George, “The City of St. George is run very well and a similar sort of community celebration.” since been supplemented by blues and classic rock. Jazz the place he calls “home.” “This opportunity is does an amazing job managing its finances. Garden visitors (who must present a valid ID for entry) can just awesome! I’m so fortunate to be able to I think the skill set that I bring to the city will Thorpe worked closely with the City of St. George, also choose from a mini-menu of gourmet tapas, along with continue to raise my family in a place we all compliment those of the people that currently sharing her vision and ensuring compliance with craft brews, boutique wines, and specialty sodas. love,” said Coombs. He is a lifelong resident work here,” said Coombs. Continuing efforts to stringent permitting and insurance regulations. She of Washington County, having grown up in St. make customer service a priority in the utility also presented what was at the time a revolutionary Thorpe, who is a member of the Arts to Zion board of George and graduated from Dixie High and office is at the top of Coombs list as the new concept: the addition of a “Jazz Garden,” a jazz venue directors and a passionate supporter of the arts, has been Dixie College. He went on to Brigham Young director, “Quality customer service is vital. A where beer and wine would be served to the 21+ set. instrumental in cementing a connection between Arts University and graduated in 1998 earning lot of people’s only interaction with the City is The Jazz Garden would serve as the economic driver to Zion and Georgefest, which sees special art exhibits a Business Management degree with an done through the utility office. That’s why it’s for the event – making it possible to offer a free Main and receptions offered during Georgefest each month. emphasis in finance. so important that their experience with us is Street concert and DJ dance party to the community. “We’re thrilled by our partnership with Georgefest, as helpful and fair every time,” he added. the event brings thousands of people to downtown. Coombs worked in the private sector as a “The idea was that the Jazz Garden would address St.

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