New Park for Nogales, AZ

NOGALES, AZ, 4/6/2006: Last night, the Nogales City Council meeting approved the use of nearly $900,000 for the construction of a new city park, where residents can look forward to some spectacular new public park facilities in their community. The Council voted on the use of funds to create the new park on the City’s 22-acre property located along Western Avenue, located just east of Interstate 19. The City envisions that the park will be created in several phases over the next two years; City Council demonstrated its commitment to this vision by approving the use of $500,000 from the City’s 2006 revenue bonds in addition to requesting $385,705 of funding from the state’s Community Development Block Grant. City Council also accepted a proposal made by the national nonprofit Trust for Public Land to develop a master park plan for the site based on input from the community, which the City will use to guide the park’s construction. The Trust for Public Land has announced plans to hire McGann & Associates, a prominent regional landscape architecture firm, for this project.

“One of the main goals of this administration is to improve and continue building new state of the art recreational facilities to accommodate the families of Nogales,” said Mayor Kramer. He continued, “Last night we voted to allocate funds to begin the process of accomplishing the dream of having a park on Western Avenue. The park’s master plan will be developed with the input of the Nogales Community through a series of public meetings. I encourage the community of Nogales to participate in making this park a reality.”

The City’s population of about 21,000 has historically been underserved by parks, but the elected leadership is actively working to address this community need. The creation of a major new park on the east side of Nogales, the Albert M. Kramer Community Park, is currently underway. In November of 2005, the voters approved a ? % sales tax increase that will provide more than $3 million per year in City revenues, of which $300,000 annually has been earmarked for the parks program, and $350,000 for “quality of life” improvements. The new park on Western Avenue will benefit the communities on the west side of the City, and is near to several schools, low-income housing, neighborhoods and the hospital. “We applaud the City’s commitment to improving the quality of life for Nogales residents by creating new park space,” says Shauna Kerr, Director of TPL—Arizona. “It is a pleasure to work with such a forward-thinking municipality, and we look forward to helping them develop a master park plan that will serve the needs of the community.”

One of The Trust for Public Land’s national conservation initiatives, “Parks for People”, is to ensure a park within reach of every American home. TPL works with community leaders across the nation to secure funding, acquire parklands, and ensure that parks match the character and needs of the community. The organization has launched major park initiatives around the country including work with cities of Los Angeles, New York, and Boston, and is pleased that Nogales will be its first Arizona project to providing community-based park design in the state. The landscape architect firm selected by TPL, McGann & Associates, has recognized expertise in planning new parks and trails and has a proven track record of innovative park design work in southern Arizona including recent projects with Pima County, the City of Marana, and Arizona State Parks, among others. The firm’s services will include conducting a series of public community meetings to determine the use and amenities that residents will want in their new park.

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with the City of Nogales,” said Don McGann of McGann & Associates. “We look forward to developing a master park plan that will make the best use of City resources and help transform the Western Avenue Property into a public space for recreation and renewal.”

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to preserving land for people to enjoy parks, gardens, and natural areas ensuring livable communities for generations to come. Since it’s founding in 1972, TPL has protected nearly 2 million acres of land in 46 states. The Trust for Public Land depends on the support and generosity of individuals, foundations, and businesses to achieve our land for people mission. For information, please visit us on the web at www.tpl.org.