Dome village project makes it to planning stage

A Morgan County/Utah DNR project to improve East Canyon State Park is finally moving forward.

In 2021 Morgan County received a $100, 000 state rural opportunity grant to help fund the Dome Event Center and Village Project at the park which is located 12 miles south of the town of Morgan along SR 66. In the first phase of the project, a dome-covered structure will be built to serve as an events center for 200 to 400 people. This building will anchor a future “village” of smaller domed buildings where tourists can stay to take advantage of the park’s Dark Sky designation.

In Feb. the county commission approved the disbursement of  $72,000 to purchase a 60-foot dome but it wasn’t until recently that the county had any response to its request for a construction/engineering plan and landscape design for the project, Commissioner Blaine Fackrell told his fellow commissioners Oct. 3. County officials had hoped to get going on the project sooner but the construction industry has been so busy that there had been no response to the county’s RFP until recently, Fackrell said.

That evening the commissioners approved a $21,000 bid from Wasatch Civil Consulting Engineering for a landscape design and construction/engineering plan for the project. That plan will include a topographical survey and base mapping ($6,000), a conceptual masterplan layout ($5,000), and a grading plan and site plan for an 18-meter dome ($10,000). The bid from Wasatch Civil Consulting Engineering indicates that the plan could be completed in about six weeks.

The masterplan will include a conceptual layout for the proposed 18-meter dome and future additional 5-meter to 10-meter domes, along with future walking paths, a restroom facility, and future parking. Along with a grading and site plan Wasatch Civil Consulting Engineering will help the county find a contractor to construct the dome.

If required, geotechnical investigations, studies, or traffic plans will need to be done by other contractors and are not covered by this contract. Structural engineering, including the design of the structure, footings, and anchors, will be provided by the dome manufacturer.

The purpose of the project is “to create an attractive, functional, and sustainable landscape that complements the natural surroundings and enhances the overall visitor experience, including the aspect of dark sky viewing,” the request for proposals said. Utah State Parks is providing 50 percent of the cost for the project in an in-kind donation in the form of land, infrastructure, and the use of its reservation system. The value of the contribution is estimated to be $120,000.

If a contractor can be found, Fackrell hopes this first phase of the dome village can be completed next summer. The dome event center is expected to have a radiant heat system installed which will allow it to be used year-round, he said.

Once this first phase is completed, Morgan County will apply for additional state grants to fund later phases, Fackrell said. λ