At the South Jordan Chamber of Commerce Vision Dinner Feb. 18, Mayor David Alvord delivered a confident State of the City address. Proclaiming that the “state of the city is strong on many metrics,” he praised the good work of some 300 city employees, the contributions of businesses and civic leaders, and the character of residents who achieve outstanding things in the city.

Noting that South Jordan is home to businesses that employ more than 21,000 people, the mayor affirmed his vision for a city that is a desirable place for people to live, work and play. The population of the city continues its steady strong growth, as the second-fastest growing city in the country in 2012 and the third fastest in 2013.

South Jordan has consistently been ranked in the top tiers of desirable mid-size cities in national magazine surveys, and with some 62,000 current residents and a steady increase every year, the mayor praised the balance between people who work and live in the city.

For those who like to play in the city, the mayor noted that the often-contentious discussion around the fate of city-owned recreation center Mulligan’s Golf & Games has led to some very positive results.

“The place where you arrive after a journey is sometimes very different than the place you may have thought that you were going,” he said.

While the final decisions on the future of the 67-acre open space north of 10600 South near the Jordan River have yet to be made, the mayor noted that there is now a definite sense of agreement to keep the area open as the best use to all the people of the area.