The scoop on West Layton's first park

                        The LDS Church Park in West Layton.


MORE than 30 years before Ellison Park came along in West Layton, there was a large park located behind the LDS
Chapel near the northeast corner of 2200 West Gentile Street.
Not a Layton City Park, like Ellison, this park began as more of a combined Church and community project on land
owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the late 1950s, the area’s LDS Elder’s Quorum
established a pheasant hunting unit in that section of West Layton. Lewis G. Shields, Jack Stevenson, Wayne Bone
and L. Jay Flint were some of the leaders of this project.
Hunters of any religious affiliation purchased permits and the
money collected for well over a decade went into a special fund.
“The money generated was used to develop the recreation area
behind the new (LDS) Chapel,” a local history book, “West
Layton/Layton 2nd Wards 1895-1995” states.
A bowery for the park came along in the summer of 1966. By
1968, there was a grassy area and restrooms added. Then a ball
diamond was created and even lights for the baseball field.
Over the years, playground equipment and other park amenities
were also added there. A historical marker is also on the site.
The LDS Chapel there was built from 1969-1970 and was
originally the Layton Second Ward and Layton Tenth Ward Chapel.
Today this park is well kept and well used. Group use is scheduled
through local LDS Wards, but any area residents can visit there. The park is a good example of recreational development outside of
The LDS Church Park in West Layton. government.