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Jul 2, 2010 6:03 PM |
http://www.azcentral.com/community/t...pago-park.html
Quote:
Officials hope to link Papago Park attractions
by Derek Quizon - Jul. 1, 2010 03:08 PM
It's the site of a zoo, a municipal golf course, a ballpark, a botanical garden and several museums, including the Phoenix Historical Society Museum and the firefighting-themed Arizona Hall of Flame.
It provides a glimpse of the Valley's history, from the ruins of Hohokam Indian settlements to the remains of a World War II-era prisoner of war camp to a segment of the new light-rail line.
Papago Park, which occupies parts of Phoenix, Tempe, and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, is home to many of the area's attractions, but the people charged with rebranding and renovating it say many residents don't recognize it as a major attraction.
This is one of the problems the municipal leaders and employees involved with the Discover Papago project are dealing with. The group, which includes officials from several Valley cities, is looking for ways to increase the park's profile and accessibility. The goal is to make it into an attraction in the mold of San Diego's Balboa Park, an urban park that draws locals and tourists.
Officials came closer to their goal when the executive board approved a draft of a 112-page master plan for the project late last month.
Shawn Wagner, an administrator for the Tempe Parks and Recreation Department, said part of the problem is getting people to realize the attractions in the park. In a series of public workshops open to comments from residents last year, many attendees said most visitors see a single attraction in the park, such as the Phoenix Zoo, and then go home, unaware of other attractions nearby.
"One of the comments from many people was, 'You go to the Phoenix Zoo, but you don't realize you're in Papago Park,' " Wagner said. "We need to do a better job of (collaborating) with the Phoenix Zoo, branding Papago Park."
Officials working on the project said that will take a major overhaul. The park is managed by many entities, including the Salt River Project and the three cities, and they do not do a good job of cross-promoting or collaborating, according to the master plan.
There is not enough information open to the public on getting from one attraction in the park to another, Wagner said. Trails within the park, managed by departments from different cities, are not connected with one another. Many significant landmarks and archeological sites are unmarked.
"The park is very divided right now, between golf courses and the zoo, the Tempe section and the Phoenix section," said Marsha Miller, co-owner of the consulting agency KDA Creative, which helped with the project last year. "That was kind of the idea in coming up with the plan, to make it one unit . . . that works together and is not separated."
One of the keys to making that happen is spreading the word that a trip to see a spring-training game at Phoenix Municipal Stadium or the Desert Botanical Garden can become an all-day excursion to museums, archeological sites and nature trails. Wagner said administrators are looking at putting in kiosks with pamphlets and maps showing visitors how to go from one attraction to another. A visitors center and more parking could increase accessibility, he said.
Ricardo Leonard, a councilman for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, said he is interested in parts of the project that would improve access to sites of spiritual and historical significance to his community.
"There was never enough information there to (tell) people who go there where they're at, and what significance it holds for our people," Leonard said of the archeological sites. "I think it would bring a lot more reverence and respect to the area."
Officials admit the renovations could take years, particularly with the cities scrambling to balance their budgets in the face of falling revenues. Leonard said he expects serious work to begin within the next two years, but it depends heavily on the state of the economy.
Phoenix Parks Supervisor Tim Merritt said parts of the plan, including connecting trails across city boundaries, could begin as early as next year if enough unpaid volunteers are willing to help. Other parts, including a multi-million dollar visitors center, will take many years.
The master plan is the latest in a series of plans since 1998 to improve Papago Park. The first plan resulted in renovations to Phoenix Municipal Stadium, increased vegetation and conversion of some roads to nature trails, Merritt said.
Officials are hoping the latest plan to link attractions could provide the push the park needs to become a nationally-renowned urban park.
"We would like an ideal spot where people can come and get to know Arizona," Leonard said.
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I love the idea. Papago park has a pretty impressive list of attractions, but it's balkanized and very difficult to get around in without a car. Connecting trails is a nice, cheap start, but a circulator bus or 2 would do a much better job linking the park together and making it more accessible IMO.
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