From The West View team
The West View has been a cornerstone of Westside community journalism for nearly 15 years, bringing you local stories, amplifying diverse voices, and fostering connections. As we look ahead to 2026, we’re focused on telling the story of the Westside. Your support powers our ability to continue to publish The West View.
Community Spotlight: Little free pantries and fridges
Parents, community members voice anger, frustration at county’s decision to close public daycare centers
“Your privilege is showing. We can all feel it!” Leslie Patino shouted as she left a public comment portion of the Salt Lake County Council meeting on Tuesday, November 4th. A daycare teacher at Northwest Recreation Center and resident of West Valley, Patino was one of dozens of parents, staff, elected officials, and concerned community members who packed the council chambers that day.
The large turnout was in response to the council’s 5-4 Republican party-line decision the week before to abruptly close four county-run daycares in Kearns, Magna, Salt Lake’s Fairpark neighborhood, and Millcreek by December 31, 2025. Roughly 250 to 300 families will be directly impacted by the closure.
Love Your Block: From idea to impact
Since 2021, Love Your Block has supported neighborhood improvement projects led by residents across the Westside and Ballpark neighborhoods. Originally funded through the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, the program became a full-time city initiative in 2023 thanks to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s support through the general fund investment.
But these projects are not possible without YOU. Yes, you — the neighbor reading this, the one thinking about that vacant lot you would love to see turned into a pocket park. Or maybe it is that wall you pass every day with your kids and your dog, imagining it brought to life with color and creativity. Or maybe you have thought about adding a little library to your street to share stories with your neighbors.
Summer’s over, now what?
We’ve begun that time of year with a certain melancholic feeling to it. Fall.
Community Spotlight: Summer 2025
Caring for the trees: Pitching in to save our urban forest
Urban trees offer vital benefits to our community, such as conserving energy by cooling buildings and streets with shade, providing animal habitats, and filtering the air. However, in Salt Lake City's arid climate, trees don't thrive naturally. This creates a dilemma: keeping our urban forest healthy requires property owners to irrigate, which often feels contradictory to our necessary efforts to conserve water by cutting back on yard watering.
Madsen Park reopens after playground renovation, other park enhancements
A local park in the Fairpark neighborhood is welcoming back neighbors of all ages after recent renovations. Madsen Park, located at 9 N Chicago Street, has evolved from once-empty land donated by private citizens to a full-fledged park. Now, it’s received upgraded amenities including a new playground and open green space.
Assistive Technology: A powerful tool helping individuals with disabilities
Dozens of exhibitors and volunteers packed the Sorenson Unity Center in Glendale, all to help highlight the different kinds of assistive technology available to those in our community with disabilities.
They arrived equipped with knowledge, resources, and tech aimed at helping individuals with disabilities navigate the world with greater ease. The second annual assistive technology fair was put on by the Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP) at Utah State University.
Culture Coffee holds 1st night market: “Grab A Cup & Catch A Vibe”
Cafes that seek to build community offer much more than just a good cup of coffee. They create a space where people come to connect, share, and create. These places don’t only serve coffee, but they serve their communities by making everyone feel at home. And that's exactly what's been brewing at Culture Coffee.
On August 1st, Culture brought the community together with coffee, art, and good vibes at their first-ever local night market.
Westside Dance Company: Teaching Mexican heritage and tradition through Folklorico
A dance group established in 1997 continues to thrive and make moves on the Westside and beyond in Salt Lake valley as they explore becoming a 501(c)3 organization. The move is coming with its own challenges, but Westside Dance has overcome many other trials as they expanded over the last 25+ years.
The Other Side Village uses self-governed prep school as part of ‘whole person’ framework
The Other Side Village (TOSV), an all-inclusive living community for the chronically homeless, is currently receiving residents. But before gaining access to one of 60 cottage homes in the first phase of development, future residents are required to attend at least six months of training at The Other Side Village Prep School.
Through TOSV Prep School, those enrolled learn a new way of thinking using a human first, whole person framework that emphasizes self-love, self-trust, accountability, solidarity, community, unlearning negative beliefs, mentoring, self-reliance and honesty.
Students in Salt Lake City sign ‘Letters of Intent’ for apprenticeships
The Salt Lake City School District recently hosted its largest-ever Talent Ready Apprenticeship Connection (TRAC) Signing Day, celebrating 19 students—the biggest cohort in district history to join the TRAC Advanced Manufacturing Program. Students signed their letters of intent, officially committing to youth apprenticeships with top local employers, including two manufacturers located on Salt Lake City’s Westside, Utah PaperBox and Stadler Rail.
First-ever assistive technology fair to be held on Salt Lake City’s Westside
Utah State University is hosting Salt Lake City’s first assistive technology fair, ‘Gadget Galaxy.’ The event will highlight different kinds of technology available for individuals with disabilities. It will take place on Saturday, July 19th from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm at the Sorenson Unity Center in Glendale.
Mental health services are here, but Westside residents still face barriers
In some parts of Salt Lake City, finding a therapist is as easy as searching online; on the Westside, it’s a different story. A tangle of challenges — from confusing messaging to financial strain — can limit the level of access to mental health services.
The issues regarding access to mental health care for Westside residents are multifaceted. Barriers like cost and limited insurance coverage to fewer nearby providers can hinder availability.
Project Aims to Improve Air Quality and Transportation Access for Utah’s Aging Communities
Efforts to improve air quality and expand transportation options for older adults and underserved communities in Utah are receiving a boost through the AARP Community Challenge program. The national initiative supports quick-action projects that make communities healthier, more equitable, and easier to navigate for residents of all ages.
Locally, the nonprofit organization HEAL Utah used the grant to explore solutions at the intersection of transportation, air quality, and public health, with a focus on vulnerable populations most impacted by pollution and mobility barriers.
Op-Ed: A Hopeful Road
Baruch Spinoza once wrote, “Fear cannot be without hope, nor hope without fear.” He believed the two are deeply intertwined. Hope carries fear of disappointment, while fear holds hope for a better outcome. In a world where truth and lies coexist, a lack of promises occur, hatred is uplifted, and love is diminished. When everything seems chaotic, what can we do? I propose we face it with values we all know — respect, compassion, gratitude and hope.
Celebrating Every Star: Inclusive Prom Lights Up Salt Lake City
On a warm May evening, laughter echoed through the halls of Neighborhood House as over 120 teens and adults with disabilities experienced something many had never had before, a prom of their own.
Hosted collaboratively by Neighborhood House, Columbus Community Center, and the Ability Inclusion Center, The Time of Our Lives Prom was much more than a dance; it was a heartfelt celebration of inclusion, collaboration, and the power of community. From glittering gowns to pasta dinners and some serious moves on the dance floor, every detail of the May 16 event was designed to make each guest feel celebrated, empowered, and unforgettable.
Community Spotlight: Spring 2025
The Other Side Donuts to celebrate one-year anniversary on June 28th
On June 28, The Other Side Donuts (760 S. Redwood Road) will celebrate its one-year anniversary from 9 am to 8 pm. The Salt Lake City business is a social enterprise of The Other Side Village.