Erik Fronberg: The last year has taught us that parks matter It is not only time to get outside, but to help the parks. (Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune). People sit on the grass, as they enjoy the sunny weather, in Liberty Park, on Friday, April 23, 2021. By Erik Fronberg | Special to The Tribune | May 6, 2021, 5:30 p.m. I’ve been reflecting this week on how important parks have become in the last year. My musings are in part inspired by participating in an Earth Day event on April 24. The event was planned by students, including myself, in the University of Utah’s City and Metropolitan Department, in collaboration with Salt Lake City’s Public Lands Division, at U.’s Westside Studio. Volunteers from around the city came and helped plant flowers, paint a mural and wayfinding signs, and clean up litter. The pandemic has made gathering difficult and infrequent, so it was refreshing to see smiling eyes on the masked faces of strangers while we worked together safely in the open air.