Syracuse -- Syracuse is one of the fastest growing cities in the entire state of Utah. With that growth, different needs have come about for the North Davis city. New homes, new shopping centers, a new Community Center, and now, Syracuse is heading into a new era by building an impressive 82-acre park on Bluff Road. Currently, Syracuse will be completing the first 22 acres of the park by Labor Day of 2006. The park will not only have open grass and picnic areas, but will also have an urban fishery stocked by the Utah Division of Natural Resources. The ponds will be ready next fall, while eventually there will be softball fields added to the property.

"The fishery will be great for families. Anybody wanting to fish the ponds will still need licenses, just like any other fisherman though," said Syracuse City Administrator Mike Moyes.

The funding for the park came originally from the city development budget and also publicly issued bonds. Syracuse also received federal grants from the federal Department of Natural Resources totaling approximately $300,000.

Moyes added, "We really appreciate all the assistance we've gotten for this project. The park was designed for family use. The city of Syracuse is proving itself to its citizens that we're committed to quality family life."

The brain behind the idea was really Mayor Fred Panucci. "He and his family were on a family vacation about two years ago when they were at a park in the city where they were visiting. It had everything a family could possibly enjoy, in his opinion, and he carried that vision to us when he returned," Moyes continued.

The new park marks some exciting times for Syracuse as a whole. Family and quality of life is what is most important to the leaders of Syracuse and building this park is a direct way of showing the Syracuse residents that their leaders are thinking of the community.