State Parks

Santa Cruz County soccer field grant to go unfunded

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[Source: Kathleen Vandervoet, Santa Cruz Valley Sun] — An $85,503 Arizona Heritage Fund grant award announced nearly a year ago to add a soccer field, bleachers and shade structures to Robert Damon Park in Rio Rico was cancelled by Arizona State Parks.  All grants on which work had not started were cancelled in February by the State Parks board as a result of budget reductions by the Legislature.

On Sept. 22, some statewide Heritage Fund grants that had been suspended in February were reinstated, said Mary Dahl, Santa Cruz County Community Development Director.  She said the Joint Legislative Budget Committee reviewed a proposal by Arizona State Parks and gave a favorable response to re-instating suspended grants.  But grants that were cancelled in February, including the one for the Damon Park, did not get funded.

In Rio Rico, the grant’s purpose was to help pay for a soccer field at the 22-acre public park where there are two baseball fields.  Damon Park is west of Interstate 19 and south of Yavapai Drive.  The money was also to be used to build bleachers and add shade structures over the existing playground equipment, Dahl said.  Dahl wrote to Gov. Jan Brewer in late February to no avail.  In the letter, Dahl said a groundbreaking ceremony was held last December and recognition was given to the late Ramon Inzunza, a resident who passed away before realizing his dream of having a public soccer field in Rio Rico.

The total cost for the project was estimated at $171,006 and the county’s matching portion was to be $76,003.  Others who planned to contribute about $9,500 were: Rio Rico Properties Inc., Rio Rico Utilities, Rio Rico Rotary Club, Farmer’s Insurance, Linda and Walter Lewis, Backflow Technologies, and Joe and Lori Adamson.

State Parks system needs funds to prevent collapse

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[Source: Tammy Gray-Searles, AzJournal.com, 11-27-2009]  —  “It is our judgment that the state parks system is in imminent danger of complete collapse as a result of financial starvation during most of this decade,” wrote the members of the state task force on sustainable parks funding in their Oct. 30 report to the governor.  The task force was asked to find ways to keep Arizona state parks open.  In the report, the group recommended implementing a $14 to $15 fee to vehicle registrations that would be dedicated solely to state parks, ensuring enough funds for both, maintenance and operations, as well as infrastructure and capital improvements.

“…our chief recommendation is that the state should implement a Sustainable State Parks Fund, which would be financed by a $14 to $15 annual contribution to be collected from owners of non-commercial vehicles as a part of the vehicle registration process,” the recommendation notes.  “The proceeds would be dedicated to the operation, maintenance and capital needs of state parks.  In return, private vehicles bearing Arizona license plates would be admitted free to state parks.  The enactment should include a provision to allow individual license holders to opt out of paying the surcharge, so it would not burden those who are least able to afford higher expenses.”

According to the task force report, as well as a separate report prepared by the Morrison Institute, without a drastic change in funding, all of Arizona’s parks are in danger of being shut down.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Glendale looks at next phase of park

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[Source: Michelle Gingerich, yourwestvalley.com, 11-29-2009] — The Glendale parks and recreation commission will consider both budget issues and community feedback as it begins to plan the next phase of construction for the Western Area Regional Park at 83rd Avenue and Bethany Home Road.  When construction is completed, the Western Area Regional Park will be an 81-acre park with an assortment of amenities.  “The park gives a community aspect to Glendale’s sports and entertainment district,” said Bill Schwind, the deputy director of parks and recreation.

The city has plans to add a branch library, multi-generational recreation center, an aquatics complex, soccer, softball and little league baseball fields, an urban fishing park, a dog park, tennis courts and additional basketball courts to the park.  The park and all of the amenities are not expected to be completed until 2020.  “We are now evaluating what the costs will be for each additional future amenity,” said Mike Gregory, the park’s project coordinator.  “We will be evaluating not only the construction of the amenities but the costs to operate it once it’s built.”  [Note: To read the full article. click here.]

Hohokam ruins restoration in Mesa to begin at last

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[Source: Jim Walsh, Mesa Republic, 11-18-2009] — Visitors will get their first opportunity to use a new interpretive trail through the Mesa Grande Ruins in March during the annual open house.  Construction on the trail begins on Dec. 1 and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, the first stage of development of ruins as a tourist attraction and educational facility since the city bought it in 1987.

The open house is scheduled for March 27.  It includes tours and a free pancake breakfast sponsored by the Mesa Grande Community Alliance, a west Mesa neighborhood organization.  “It’s kind of the grand opening of the trail,” said Tom Wilson, director of the Arizona Museum of Natural History.  “It’s very gratifying to finally get some of the funding together to begin Phase One.”

Bids on the trail project came in so low that the museum may also include a small visitors parking lot for 15 vehicles on 10th Street and a small visitors entry area featuring a ticket booth, restrooms and a display area, said Jerry Howard, the museum’s curator of anthropology.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]