While change is expected as a remodeling project approaches for Uintah County’s Western Park, some community members are pushing back concerning the removal of nostalgic items from the main building’s long hallway. The items honoring Chad Bedell and Lane Frost are permanently coming down, along with the Uintah County Queen photos. “When I heard the news that they are going to be taking down the Miss Uintah County queen photos in the Western Park, it hit me hard,” shares former Queen Autumn Hancock. “Not only is the wall of queens a legacy of 30 years of women who have served Uintah County, but it’s also a much loved tradition. Young girls walk down that hall and look up to those queens and aspire to serve the community the way they did. I’ve been told that they will be replacing the photos with a plaque naming the former queens. Girls don’t look at a plaque and set goals to aspire to be like those women,” continues Hancock. “Young girls look at a photo. They see that crown and they wonder what it took to get that crown and earn a spot on that wall. I understand that they don’t think it fits the branding of the new Western Park to keep the photos, but they’re getting rid of the history and nostalgia that makes the Western Park unique…It will be a sad day when that history is forgotten because it didn’t fit a brand.” Hancock shares that since the news got out, she has heard from many people sharing how much they enjoy walking down that hall and looking at the history of the Uintah County Queens and other items. Calls made to the Western Park administration were not returned as of Thursday morning.
