BOUNTIFUL -- Millcreek Junior High's principal introduced a joint-use park project to the city council Tuesday, with hopes to enliven two acres near the school. Principal David Tanner said the two-acre property, east of the junior high, is owned by the Davis School District but, if remodeled, could offer an outdoor amphitheater for summer concerts. The area could also provide educational amen- ities for teaching students about weather and ecology.

Tanner, a Layton resident, said a similar outdoor amphi-theater project has been popular with residents in his city.

He said Millcreek Junior High has raised $10,000 for the park, but it would require up to $100,000 in city funds for completion. He added that the school district indicated it would give approval only if the city pitched in.

In addition, Tanner said the school district wouldn't maintain the park -- that would be the city's responsibility. And he said utilities and the operation of a waterfall at the site would be the city's responsibility as well.

The amphitheater would hold up to 800 people, according to Tanner, and it could be reserved for the city during evening and summer hours.

But Mayor Joe Johnson questioned why the school district wouldn't help with maintenance if it would be used by the school nine months out of the year. Tanner explained that the school district would have neither the manpower nor means to maintain the park.

Although Johnson said the park sounded like a good idea, he asked Tanner to go back and ask the school district what the partnership would be when the city would be paying for construction in addition to ongoing maintenance and utilities.

Johnson said school partnerships have certainly been good for the city, citing the recent agreement on the joint-use gymnasium at the South Davis Recreation Center, but he said the Millcreek park concept would need to be looked at further before approval.

Tanner added that professionals have already offered to donate materials and service, including architectural drawings and half the concrete needed for the amphitheater.

In addition, he said he had hopes his school would be able to raise its funds to $50,000 by the end of summer.

But Johnson and Council Member Barbara Holt asserted that ongoing maintenance would actually bring the greatest expense in the long run.

In the end, the city council directed Tanner to approach the school district again re-garding maintenance. Still, officials expressed optimism in looking at the project, especially during a review of the parks and recreation budget set to begin in the coming weeks.

ztodd@davisclipper.com