While other donors look on, Carol Laub (in foreground with scissors) cuts the ribbon officially opening the Carol and Jim Laub Plaza in downtown Logan on Sept. 23.
LOGAN – The much-anticipated official opening of the Carol and Jim Laub Plaza in downtown Logan happened amid much fanfare on Sept. 23.
The ceremony began with the American Festival Chorus singing “This Land is Your Land,” under the director of Craig Jessop, followed by remarks from Mayor Holly Daines and major donor Jim Laub of Cache Valley Electric.
In her address, Daines thanked members of the Logan Municipal Council who strongly supported her effort to revitalize the downtown area. She credited council members Amy Z. Anderson, Mark A. Anderson, Thomas C. Jensen, Ernesto López and Jeannie F. Simmonds for sharing her dream of improvements to Center Street, the Center Block Plaza and a new library that are now becoming reality.
She also thanked members of the Cache County Council for their generous support through the Recreation, Arts, Parks and Zoos tax and Julie Hollist, for gifts from the Cache Valley Visitors Bureau.
Daines also cited private donors whose contribution helped to defray the escalating costs of the plaza.
Those included $1 million from the Jim and Carol Laub Family Foundation and Cache Valley Electric; a $200,000 donation from the Emma Eccles Jones Foundation; a $250,000 challenge grant pledge from the George S. and Delores Doré Eccles Foundation; a $103,000 donation from Peter and Holly Daines; and a $197,000 gift from the Cache County RAPZ and Visitors Bureau.
More recent contributions included a gift of $100,000 from Apogee Instruments on behalf of founder Bruce Bugbee, his wife Diana West and Apogee’s employee stockholders; a donation of $100,000 from the family of Bert and Kookie Tanner; and $50,000 from the Measom Family Foundation.
In his remarks, Jim Laub reminisced about this grandfather’s affection for Cache Valley, which he said was passed to himself through his father.
He mourned the loss of iconic city businesses, like Logan Hardware, the Cactus Club and the Bistro, adding that he hoped that the Carol and Jim Laub Plaza would become equally iconic for future generations.
After those remarks, Carol Laub was joined by other donors in performing the official ribbon cutting. The American Festival Chorus closed the ceremony by singing the National Anthem, followed by a backstage reception for donors and friends.
The opening of the Carol and Jim Laub Plaza signals achievement of another milestone in Daines’ ambitious plans for the revitalization of downtown Logan.
The site of the downtown plaza at 55 North Main Street is directly across from the Logan Tabernacle. Five buildings of varying ages and historic value once occupied that site at 41, 45, 47, 55 and 67 North Main addresses.
The old Emporium building and adjacent structures to the north were demolished in January of 2022 to make way for the plaza project.
The remaining structures at 41 and 45 North Main underwent a $1.6 million facelift. Daines said that city officials hope to sell those properties to private restaurateurs.
City officials say that the Carol and Jim Laub Plaza will serve as a gathering place to draw Logan residents downtown with year-round attractions, events and entertainment.
They add that plaza amenities will include a fire pit, outdoor seating with shade covers, a giant chess board, other games, an outdoor stage, a splash pad for summer and an ice rink during winter months.
Since the Center Block Plaza project was approved in spring of 2021, Logan’s redevelopment agency has invested nearly $6 million in the plaza project.