Rose Park
By Robert “Buzz” Storey
Rose Park is located about seven minutes northwest of Salt Lake City’s central business district off the 600 North I-15 exit. This friendly neighborhood extends north of 600 North and east of Redwood Road. Rose Park received its name from the many streets in the area named after different varieties of roses like the Nocturne, American Beauty, Buccaneer, Capistrano, Taffeta and the Reine Victoria Roses. This area was first built in 1940 but homes are being renovated and many young people are taking notice of the neighborhood’s great features and buying homes here. This community is now Salt Lake City’s “next new neighborhood.”
A Friendly Neighborhood Awaits You
Cody is young and has been a homeowner in Rose Park for years. He tells me, “I just love the community here. Hand’s down, it’s the best community.” His wife, Stephanie, adds, “This is such a friendly neighborhood.” And Rose Park offers more than just great people. “The location is awesome, I-15, legacy, and I-215. Plus a lot of grocery stores, tons of grocery stores. Smith’s is only a ten minute roundtrip if you forget anything,” she says. “There are tons of parks as well. The Jordan River Parkway. We ride our bikes on it twice a month, the whole family. In the winter, we walk our dog on it.” Cody mentions how you don’t need a car if you live here, “And the bus goes straight downtown and the transfer is at a Trax station.”
Challenging Preconceived Notions
The most common comment from residents is about the low crime rate in Rose Park. A while ago, this neighborhood might have had a bad reputation for its crime rate, but this is not the case. Salt Lake City publishes information about crime and has an interactive crime map. The map shows that Rose Park actually has a below average crime rate. If you travel through the neighborhood, you will not be surprised by this fact. The streets, the homes, and the yards are well maintained and graffiti is non-existent.
Rose Park Festival
Every May, crowds converge for the annual Rose Park Festival. “It’s the Saturday before Memorial weekend”, says past Rose Park Community Council Chair Brad Bartholomew. “Thousands of people come to the park. There is entertainment and tons of food vendors. We have been doing it for eleven years now. We have a couple of bands playing hip-hop and jazz and there’s even dancing.”
Salt Lake City’s Next New Neighborhood
People commonly refer to Rose Park as the “next Sugarhouse” or the “next Avenues.” Brad Bartholomew has something to say about that. “We don’t want to be just like those communities. We are our own community with our own qualities. Rose Park has been up and coming. We should call it the next new neighborhood instead.” People agree it’s a highly desirable neighborhood and that it’s up and coming. I sat down to talk to a new, young homeowner in Rose Park named Brenda to discuss her decision to move here. “We moved here from Provo and this was the only neighborhood we were interested in living. We like the trees and the homes.” The streets are gorgeous in the winter too. For those who live here, they know the beauty and other great qualities that can be found here. This place is Salt Lake City’s next new neighborhood.
