The prospect of Rock Canyon being transformed from scenic recreation spot to excavation eyesore has Provo residents up in arms. Utah resident Richard Davis is awaiting the approval of a permit which would give him the go ahead to spend 10 hours a day, Monday to Friday for the next three to five years, hammering and back-hoeing the mountain away. Davis’ public relations guru, John Park, did an excellent job assuring the 100-plus angry citizens who gathered last Saturday morning to protest the project that the quarry will be safe. A six to eight foot “safety berm” will be in place. For those worried about falling rocks crushing houses, children and beloved family pets, rest assured, the “berm” will save you all.
The main concern of Provo residents, however, wasn’t safety, but beauty. Residents are worried that without the picturesque view of jagged rocks juxtaposed against the piercing azure sky and the Provo Temple’s radiant angel Moroni, Provo postcard sales will slump. No one wants a postcard of orange construction cones, dump trucks and pebbles. One resident asked point-blank, “Why would the city even consider a proposal that would destroy the most beautiful area of this town?” Park’s reply was both thoughtful and satisfying: “It’s the consequence of a free country, I guess.”
One of the wonders of living in a free country is the fact that people are “free” to act in their own self-interest. BYU geologist Lehi Hintze, who, according the The Daily Harold, has studied Rock Canyon for decades, told the crowd that the cliff Davis seeks to remove is “not a rare rock, nor particularly valuable. … It’s the kind of rock that is used as riprap — piles of rock used for erosion control. Ask yourself, why would he want to propose a quarry? I think he basically wants to be bought off.”
What the citizens gathered in protest on Saturday and the many at home who agree with them have neglected to acknowledge is that the “riprap” rock in question could be put to good use for the people of Provo. Davis’ motives aside, this could be a fabulous idea. Why didn’t anyone think of it before?
We could use the rocks to expand the Y on the mountain, adding perhaps a “B” and a “U” or maybe even the whole mission statement. We could build a fortress to segregate campus into a boy half and a girl half, or to simply block Helaman Halls from the rest of us. We could create a literal “Zion Curtain,” solving all confusion about where that pesky 2-mile radius line really is. We could use the excavated rocks for an endless number of BYUSA activities, a giant game of “King of the Rock Pile,” perhaps? We could supply every BYU fan with something to hurl at our athletic opponents, or bestow each student with a personal prayer rock. BYU could give out complimentary boulders to married students, engraved with their names and wedding dates. We could enhance campus grounds with wishing wells, both enchanting and profitable, and bulldoze the old president’s house and replace it with a “President’s Castle.”
And these are just the possibilities for BYU. The benefits for other Provo residents are limitless — a boosted economy, a prolonged sunrise, a view of Colorado. You name it. Excavating Rock Canyon would add all kinds of enhancements to quality of life in Provo, and it would rid us of some key vices. Rock climbers, almost as troublesome as “sinboarders,” would be inhibited by the quarry. The annoyance of wildlife — the movement, the noises — obliterated. If Mr. Park’s boss gets his wish, it would also be much more difficult for adolescents, and even full-blown adults, to “park” at the mouth of the canyon and use their mouths in inappropriate ways.
So, Mr. Park — and Mr. Davis — while most of Provo hates your idea, we love it. We’re thrilled with the possibilities involved in giving nature a good kick, just for the heck of it. What fun this could be! We’ll even help you hold off the protesters, just as long as we get first dibs on the riprap. Our first project? Building a giant meteor in the middle of Brigham Square for April Fool’s Day. So get to work.
This editorial represents the opinion of The Daily Universe editorial board. Opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of BYU, its administration or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Copyright Brigham Young University 31 Mar 2009
