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Offices
Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation The Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation (OOR) embodies the state’s ongoing commitment to outdoor recreation as both an economic driver and a way of life. OOR works to promote Utah as the premier location for recreation opportunities that enhance quality of life. OOR’s mission is to ensure that Utahns can live a healthy and active lifestyle through outdoor recreation. The office supports this vision by actively marketing recreational opportunities, educating partners on recreational best practices, and providing resources to support outdoor infrastructure projects. The Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG) supports outdoor recreation projects throughout Utah by distributing up to $6 million in funding annually. The Utah Outdoor Recreation Summit is an annual gathering of recreation professionals and leaders from around the state and country. The goal of the Summit is to bridge the gap between economic development, policy, planning, health, education, and industry through education, collaboration, and a shared vision for the future of recreation in Utah and the nation. Efforts toward corporate recruitment in the outdoor recreation industry strengthen relationships with EDCUtah, local government agencies and private entities across the state. The goal is to support existing recreation businesses and to attract new businesses and events. In FY 2020, seven new businesses ranging from banking to technology all listed outdoor recreation as a significant factor in their choice to relocate to Utah. Along with this, 69 out of 74 companies interviewed in EDCUtah’s Know the Customer program said outdoor lifestyle is one of the most significant advantages of doing business in Utah.
Here are some of OOR’s activities during this past year: 1) I n support of recreation creation, OOR invited Utah State Parks and the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program to join in hosting 14 workshops in 13 cities across the state. These workshops informed interested and eligible organizations about UORG funds, as well as grants offered by Utah State Parks and RTCA, and provided application assistance. The Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service sent locally-based representatives to each location to present and provide their assistance as well. As a result, more applications were received than in any previous year 2) I n response to the critical need for funding for restoration and repair of aging recreation infrastructure on public lands in the state, the Recreation Restoration Infrastructure (RRI) grant program was created by S.B. 249, sponsored by Sen. Ralph Okerlund and Rep. Carl Albrecht. In its first year, 28 applications were received for almost $2 million in funding requests, with 19 projects selected to receive over $1.5 million in funding. 3) T he sixth annual Utah Outdoor Recreation Summit hosted 477 attendees in St. George to address current recreation issues and promote collaboration between industries that impact outdoor recreation. The Summit included 20 panels and over 100 speakers on topics such as protecting public lands, planning trails, and discussing diversity in the outdoor recreation industry. This event showcased 23
Pitt Grewe | Director 801-538-8674 | pgrewe@utah.gov
