County Parks

Cave Creek, Arizona makes plans for open spaces

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[Source: Beth Duckett, The Arizona Republic] — From the lush backwoods of Cave Creek Regional Park to the rugged Spur Cross Ranch, Cave Creek is known for its sweeping open spaces.  But with another 8.8 square miles coming inside the town’s borders through annexation this year, Cave Creek faces a dilemma – how to manage its open spaces.  With the plan, town and park officials would steer the use and management of thousands of acres with one document.  Future visitors centers and trail systems would be included in an open-space master plan.

“Planning as a system makes a whole lot more sense,” said Maricopa County Parks Director RJ Cardin.  “It would be a system of open space, rather than a piece of state land there, a piece there.”  The master plan would merge the 2,155-acre Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area, 3,000-acre Cave Creek Regional Park and 4,300 acres of conserved annexation land, plus State Bureau of Land Management and conservation lands.  [Note: to read the full article click here.]

June 7 is National Trails Day

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American Hiking Society’s signature trail awareness program, National Trails Day, inspires the public and trail enthusiasts nationwide to seek out their favorite trails to discover, learn about, and celebrate trails while participating in educational exhibits, trail dedications, gear demonstrations, instructional workshops, and trail work projects.  Click here to learn about events in Arizona and other parts of the U.S.

What are Arizona’s most endangered historic places?

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Vintage photo of Adamsville Ruins, listed on 2006 Most Endangered Historic Places List. [Source: Arizona Preservation Foundation] — The Arizona Preservation Foundation is accepting nominations for its 2008 list of Arizona’s Most Endangered Historic Places.   Compiled by preservation professionals and historians, the list identifies critically endangered properties of major historical or archaeological significance to the state.

Properties selected for the Most Endangered Historic Places list will receive the Foundation’s assistance in developing support to remove the threat.

To nominate online and for complete details, click here.  The deadline is June 5, 2008.  Supporting documentation must also be received by the deadline to: Arizona Preservation Foundation, P.O. Box 13492, Phoenix, AZ 85002. Support materials include clippings, correspondence, and photographs.

The Foundation’s 2007 list is comprised of Arizona State University Historic Properties, Tempe; Buckhorn Baths, Mesa; Camp Naco, Naco; Empire Ranch, Las Cienegas National Conservation Area; Glendale Tract Community Center, Glendale; Havasu Hotel, Seligman; Kerr Cultural Center, Scottsdale; Kingman Multiple Resources, Kingman; Maple Ash Neighborhood, Tempe; Marist College, Tucson; Old U.S. 80 Bridge (Gillespie Dam Bridge), Arlington; Sage Memorial Hospital School of Nursing, Ganado; San Ysidro Ranch Ruins, Yuma; Second Pinal County Courthouse, Florence; Valley National Bank, 44th Street & Camelback Road, Phoenix; and White Gates House, Phoenix.

The Foundation’s 2006 list is comprised of the Adamsville Ruins, Coolidge; Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, Tucson; First Baptist Church, Phoenix; Fisher Memorial Home, Casa Grande; Geronimo Station, Geronimo; Meehan/Gaar House, Casa Grande; Mesa Grande Ruins, Mesa; Mountain View Black Officers Club, Sierra Vista; Peter T. Robertson Residence, Yuma; Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, Casa Grande; and Sun Mercantile Building, Phoenix.

Governor’s rural conference attendees to tour Spur Cross Ranch

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[Source: Ellen Bilbrey, Arizona State Parks] — During the 2008 Governor’s Rural & Regional Development Conference in September, conference attendees will take a mobile tour of Carefree’s Spur Cross Ranch, purchased with $8 million in Natural Areas Heritage Fund dollars.  For information about the conference, click here.  For information about Spur Cross Ranch, click here.