Verde River @ Clarkdale Project

Heritage Grant Awarded to the Town of Clarkdale

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[Source: Verde Independent] – The Town of Clarkdale has received a Heritage Grant from the Arizona Game and Fish Department in the amount of $40,500 to develop accessible facilities on the Arizona State Parks property south of the intersection of Sycamore Canyon and Tuzigoot Roads. Improvements include a modified access road, two ADA parking spaces, and an approximately 400-foot wheelchair accessible trail to a viewing platform adjacent to the Verde River.

As part of the Town’s Sustainable Clarkdale Initiative, this access for all members of the public will be developed using best practices in green development. The Town and Arizona State Parks are working in partnership to develop this site based on an intergovernmental agreement recently executed by both parties. The first phase of the project, development of improvement plans and construction estimates, has been awarded to Shephard Wesnitzer, Inc. of Sedona, Arizona with the planning scheduled to be completed by June 2013.

The funds from the Heritage Grant will provide improved public access to the Verde River, especially safe access for people with disabilities. This is the first phase of the Verde River @ Clarkdale project, whose mission is to provide enhanced community access to a healthy, flowing Verde River.

Clarkdale moves ahead with river access project Town and State Parks Board form agreement

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[Source: Philip Wright, Verde Independent] – The town and the State Parks Board will work together to expand access to the Verde River. The Town Council voted unanimously during a special meeting March 15 to approve an intergovernmental agreement with the state to develop the Tuzigoot River Access. “The IGA is a huge benefit to the Verde River at Clarkdale plan,” said Mayor Doug Von Gausig. “It gives us an anchor location that will be where most people park to be transported up-river with their kayaks, and a place for picnics and community gatherings.” Von Gausig said this access point at Tuzigoot Bridge will once again give Clarkdale an outdoor recreation site like Peck’s Lake was years ago.

In a staff report to the council, Jodie Filardo, community/ economic development director, stated that for the town to move forward with a Heritage Fund Public Access project to expand access to the Verde River for mobility challenged individuals, site control of three parcels owned by Arizona State Parks is required. The town is currently seeking a grant from the Heritage Fund for $40,500. Filardo explained that the purpose of the IGA is to cooperatively manage and operate the site in question to develop enhanced public river access. Under the IGA the town and State Parks Board will work together to accomplish the enhanced river access. Clarkdale will provide for staffing, operation and routine maintenance of improvements made by town.

Von Gausig said that after looking at all possible locations, the town approached Deputy Parks Director Jay Ream with the idea several months ago. “We decided the best and most practical solution for Clarkdale and for State Parks would be a cooperative agreement that allows Clarkdale to manage the 70-acre Tuzigoot Bridge property,” Von Gausig said. He explained that the agreement would provide for Clarkdale to make some improvements and anchor the town’s project at the site.

“He liked it,” Von Gausig said. “We worked with Jay and others to finalize the terms of the IGA. It’s finally done.” Von Gausig said this will be the first in what the town hopes is a string of facilities along the Verde River as it flows through the Verde Valley. He said the facilities would support recreational boaters, hikers, birding enthusiasts and people who just want to get a little peace and quiet in their lives.

“This is a huge step forward for the Verde River at Clarkdale and for the Verde River,” Von Gausig said. He explained that the grant will be used for master planning the area near the Tuzigoot Bridge, to include architectural plans, roadway improvements and some fundamental improvements to the area that will enable better, more accessible recreational opportunities.

Meeting will brainstorm Verde River @ Clarkdale Ideas sought to protect, restore and sustain river

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[Source: Philip Wright, Verde Independent, 2/2/2012] – The Verde River @ Clarkdale project gained traction in July as a means to help the local economy by improving public access and expanding recreational opportunities along the 2.2 miles of the river through Clarkdale. The project is expected to become an integral part of the Sustainable Clarkdale vision.

To that end, the town is inviting the public to bring ideas to a Verde River @ Clarkdale brainstorming meeting Feb. 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The goal of that meeting is to begin creating a framework for a comprehensive master plan for preservation, protection and restoration of the river and its habitat in Clarkdale.

According to a press release from the Community Development Department, meeting participants will work in groups to address various topics regarding the project.

Those topics include:

– Increasing recreation such as kayaking, hiking and birding.

– Expanding public river access within Clarkdale to include outfitter support, comfort stations and parking areas.

– Creating educational opportunities, which would include access and interpretive signage.

– Exploring alternatives to current ditch diversions to enhance the river’s flow.

The Verde River @ Clarkdale project got started last summer when Mayor Doug Von Gausig and Town Manager Gayle Mabery spent time making an inventory of underperforming assets in Clarkdale.

During a July council meeting Jodie Filardo, director of community and economic development, told the council that what Von Gausig and Mabery discovered was that key resources – the Verde River and related areas – are underutilized, inaccessible, and as a result, economically undervalued by the town and its residents. Filardo further reported that she and Von Gausig had already made contact with representatives of the American Rivers Blue Trails program. She explained that the American Rivers program would open up many possibilities, and possible funding sources, for a project such as the Verde River @ Clarkdale. At that meeting, the Town Council directed staff to pursue ideas for the Verde River @ Clarkdale project.

In late September, the council approved having staff go after two grants from the Heritage Fund of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Filardo reported to the council that the state had $112,500 available for Urban Wildlife and $50,000 for Public Access grants. She told the council that the Verde River @ Clarkdale project aligns well with both of those granting focus areas.