Promised Parks

A Promised Park is a park gifted to the Town of Jackson for the use and enjoyment of the community. May Park was gifted by Wayne & Selma May to the Town of Jackson in 1990. The space we know as Karns Meadow was gifted to the Town of Jackson by the Karns Family in 2003. 

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A Promised Park is more than a gift, more than a park. It is a symbol of who we used to be as a community, and who we should strive to be again. Today, Jackson finds itself at a crossroads. Much has been made of the changing character of our community, and many have decried the loss of the small-town, western values. However, the essence of a community is its people. 

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These Jackson families believed in compromise and working with neighbors because living here has always been challenging. These close relationships with one another and the community at large also created a sense of charity and giving for the good of all members of the Jackson community. The Karns and May families epitomize this spirit of giving and community. These families made the deliberate decision to make a lasting difference for the community they loved. We, Promised Parks, are committed to bringing the visions of two families to reality.

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Our Ask to Community Groups & the Town of Jackson

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Let’s keep our promises and show to other families and landowners considering gifts that the Town of Jackson is an excellent steward of the community values of charity, outdoor recreation, and preservation. This is the story of two families, the Mays and the Karns. Both families felt called to give back to their community. Both families intentionally chose to create spaces that provided the public benefits of recreation and access as well as preservation over profit.

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For May Park: We believe so much of the vision of the park has been achieved.  We are grateful for the Town’s stewardship over the last 30+ years, despite rising pressures to significantly change the park. Any additional improvements should enhance the current uses of the park. As the sign at the entrance of May Park proudly shares, "…to preserve nature and open space in our community and to recognize the ranching and agricultural heritage of Jackson Hole." Bathrooms to protect the watershed, but any use that is a regional draw is not in line with the promise. 

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For Karns Meadow: We believe the Town should create a passive pathway system so the community can enjoy the park and access to flat creek for low-impact recreational activities like walking and fishing. We want the Town to reverse the degradation of the ecosystem, by creating sight-lines and providing monitoring tools to prevent encampments in the park. We believe using Tract 5 for a dog park would keep dogs out of the park, create a permanent home for year-round dog recreation, and relieve pressure on critical winter habitats like Cache Creek.