Who was John Walden and What’s His Utah Household Legacy?

As an authentic co-founder of Eagle Mountain in 1996, John Walden‘s identify stays linked to the town. He handed away in 2017, seeing the town develop from his imaginative and prescient to one of many fastest-growing cities in Utah.

Eagle Mountain hasn’t slowed; many new folks discover the world attractive and habitable. Walden’s willingness to take dangers and push by way of difficult instances is never shared. What’s the legacy of John Walden and his function early with Eagle Mountain? He discovered a technique to make plans work.

Early Growth

When the concept of Eagle Mountain first began, John Walden and a pair of physicians named Scott Gettings and Andrew Zorbis didn’t know precisely what they have been getting themselves into. All of them loved the world and owned houses in Park Metropolis, and so they noticed a chance to purchase 8000 acres of land within the Cedar Valley within the mid-Nineties.

Choosing it up for simply $2.5 million in a chapter public sale, it was not far more than water rights. Nevertheless, John Walden would later discover its promise to function a thriving group down the street.

With a brand new concentrate on improvement, there was the difficulty of turning a comparatively distant location into a real group. Walden and his workforce talked to Cedar Cross Ranch and Harvest Haven residents to mix and assist construct what’s now referred to as Eagle Mountain.

Quickly after every thing began to come back collectively, Walden helped rent a grasp planner to place collectively the city. The quantity of house in Cedar Valley offered excellent development potential with few limitations. They constructed out the infrastructure, bought consumers on the long-term imaginative and prescient of the world, and Eagle Mountain took off.

By the 2010 census, Eagle Mountain had over 21,000 residents. Wanting the town to be greater than only a place for folks to sleep after work, the main target began to go on bringing in or constructing new companies inside metropolis limits. As a substitute of feeling like one other suburb serving larger cities in Utah, Walden at all times believed that Eagle Mountain may stand alone.

Dealing with Rising Pains

Optimistic plans for metropolis planning can begin to trigger controversy as time goes on. Ranging from scratch lets folks plan every thing, however choices typically work in another way than deliberate.

One explicit determination John Walden obtained negativity from got here when he pushed the state to relocate the jail to Eagle Mountain. He noticed it as an awesome place to rehabilitate folks and provides them a second probability as soon as out. They’d have a spot to work and contribute to society, and the town may spin it positively. As a substitute, many residents fearful about property worth, the group’s security with inmates so shut, and numerous different negatives.

There was additionally a stretch of political instability, with ten mayors in 13 years. John Walden considered this as rising pains, as the town handled many firsts through the first few years of existence.

Since then, there’s been much more stability on the political aspect. All through historical past, many cities have handled early struggles politically earlier than settling down. Everybody preventing for his or her private preferences usually turns into heated debates.

Maintaining with demand was a wrestle for John Walden, and the town nonetheless offers with it. He persistently labored with companies to come back in and work with Eagle Mountain. It’s grown loads on the job and business improvement aspect, giving residents meals and procuring choices near their houses.

All through all of the rising pains, John Walden discovered a technique to persist with the larger image. A pacesetter can’t be universally cherished, however he targeted on doing what he thought was greatest for the town long-term.

Dwelling on by way of Tiffany Walden

John Walden‘s daughter, Tiffany, discovered the attraction of Eagle Mountain shortly after improvement began. She’s lived within the space herself for shut to twenty years. An actual property investor and prideful citizen, she pushes for continued development.

Because the proprietor of Tiffany Properties, Tiffany Walden works to satisfy the wants of present residents and people trying to relocate. Providing a customized expertise for everybody she works with, she desires to make sure that settling doesn’t need to be an possibility. There are alternatives to purchase present houses within the metropolis, even when many nonetheless choose to construct new ones on undeveloped land.

As a resident of Eagle Mountain, she’s pushed for improvement to satisfy her dad’s imaginative and prescient of the town being self-sustainable. She helped with the Fb Knowledge Middle. Bringing high-paying jobs and employers to the area provides locals an opportunity to remain within the metropolis they grew up in.

Throughout the final 12 months, a number of eating places, malls, grocery shops, and banks have opened up or are below development inside Eagle Mountain metropolis limits. The demand for business improvement is at an all-time excessive to scale back journey time for residents. Tiffany Walden has served on committees and brought the initiative to entice builders to see Eagle Mountain’s potential because it grows.

What’s Subsequent for Eagle Mountain?

In simply over 25 years, Eagle Mountain has grown to a metropolis with over 50,000 residents. They’ve a sturdy authorities, an in depth record of regional and native parks, a devoted faculty system for residents, and a transportation infrastructure able to deal with future development.

Enterprise and business improvement regularly carry optimism to present residents. Huge employers discover the situation inexpensive and straightforward to begin with open, undeveloped land.

Individuals like Tiffany Walden are a part of what made Eagle Mountain what it’s now and what it may be. Enjoying a task in serving to the town meet her father’s expectations motivates her. It hasn’t at all times been simple, however folks proceed to seek out the attraction of Eagle Mountain as John Walden’s legacy tied to the town lives on.