- Ceremony to be Followed by Week of Free, Family-friendly Grand Opening Festivities
- Kid’s Place Indoor and Outdoor Play Areas Also Now Open to the Public
- The Orchard Will Serve as a Community Gathering Place Programmed with Events Year-round
OREM, Utah (October 3, 2016) – University Place today held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of The Orchard, an outdoor community gathering space, as well as the Kid’s Place, an indoor/outdoor children’s play area. The ceremony featured musical performances from local schools, and speakers included Randy and Jeff Woodbury, owners of University Place, and Orem Mayor Richard Brunst.
“The changes happening at University Place are helping to lift our entire city to new levels of revitalization and refreshment,” said Brunst. “Residents of not only Orem, but all of Utah County will enjoy this park for years to come. This will bring a new sense of community to the area and a place to gather for our families.”
The Orchard is located in the heart of University Place (formerly University Mall). This new community gathering place will be programmed with year-round events, such as an annual tree lighting for the winter holidays. It features open green grass, a show fountain choreographed to water and lights that will play throughout the day, three shaded pavilions with cushioned lounge-style furniture, and many covered seating areas, and more. The Orchard is accessible through the north entrances of the shopping center, and from the newly completed road Park Avenue that connects State Street and 800 East.
Connected to the Orchard is the outdoor Kid’s Place play area, which connects to the indoor play area by set of hydraulic doors for a seamless playing experience. The indoor Kid’s Place play area can be accessed through the north end of the shopping center. With design elements that reflect the natural beauty of the Wasatch Mountains – including two photographic murals by local photographers Eric Reeder and Willie Holdman – the play areas include wooden tree houses, a log climbing structure, monkey bars in the trees, a see-saw, a climbing wall, interactive water fountains, and more.
“We are so happy that the public will now be able to come and enjoy The Orchard and Kid’s Place play areas, and this is only the beginning stages of what we have planned for University Place,” said Randy Woodbury, president of Woodbury Corporation, which owns and is developing the University Place revitalization project. “On the horizon we have additional office buildings in design and are committed to bringing in the best shopping and dining possible, and we will continue to look at ways we can help fill community needs.”
The grand opening celebration will continue throughout the rest of the week with a schedule of free family-friendly events. For a detailed schedule of grand opening activities, and for information on all future events planned for the Orchard, please visit universityplaceorem.com/events/.
About University Place
Developed in the early 1970’s in Orem, Utah, University Place (formerly University Mall) is a 112-acre development that initially only included retail, and recently began a $500 million revitalization project that is adding residential, office and green space to what has been Utah County’s premiere shopping destination for over 40 years. University Place was first developed and is still owned and operated by Woodbury Corporation, a 4th-generation Utah family business, and one of the oldest and most respected full-service real estate development and management companies in the Intermountain West. For more information about University Place and updates on the project, visit universityplaceorem.com. For more information about Woodbury Corporation, visit woodburycorp.com.
Press Contact
Amanda Butterfield
University Place PR
A_butterfield@woodburycorp.com
801-440-9837
