Parks department touts Neuront Hill opening, Noranda Park grant and Steampunk Ranch projects
May 21, 2024 | Oro Valley, Pima County, Arizona
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Department director Ross used the May 21 meeting to catalogue recent accomplishments and upcoming projects across Parks and Recreation.
Ross said the Neuront Hill Park grand opening drew more attendees than anticipated and that staff are installing additional trash cans and benches. He also noted the department planted 77 trees so far this year as part of a fiftieth-anniversary program and that the community camp season has started with program expansion to the CRC and Steampunk Ranch.
Ross told the board the department secured a $1,000,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for the Noranda Park project and used town funds as the required match; staff expect to proceed with planned follow-up and maintenance efforts. He also said council approved funding (including insurance) of roughly $579,000 to replace a demolished shade structure at Steampunk Ranch; engineering drawings are underway and public-works coordination will be required.
Other updates included completion of Honey Bee Canyon restroom repairs, increased community-center membership (roughly 1,000 new members year-to-date with about 375 daily users on average), plans to repair or replace the aquatic-center shade structure and a pool tile-replacement project. Ross said staff are exploring a possible community garden and additional walkway lighting at Steampunk Ranch and that disc golf operations and sanctioned leagues at Push Ridge will run June 1–Sept. 22.
Board members complimented staff on 50th-anniversary programming and asked staff to monitor member experience as participation grows. Ross said staff will track capacity concerns and report recommended options if the CRC approaches its operational limit.
What’s next: staff will continue project engineering, procurement and routine maintenance; several projects will be scheduled into next fiscal-year capital planning.
Ross said the Neuront Hill Park grand opening drew more attendees than anticipated and that staff are installing additional trash cans and benches. He also noted the department planted 77 trees so far this year as part of a fiftieth-anniversary program and that the community camp season has started with program expansion to the CRC and Steampunk Ranch.
Ross told the board the department secured a $1,000,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant for the Noranda Park project and used town funds as the required match; staff expect to proceed with planned follow-up and maintenance efforts. He also said council approved funding (including insurance) of roughly $579,000 to replace a demolished shade structure at Steampunk Ranch; engineering drawings are underway and public-works coordination will be required.
Other updates included completion of Honey Bee Canyon restroom repairs, increased community-center membership (roughly 1,000 new members year-to-date with about 375 daily users on average), plans to repair or replace the aquatic-center shade structure and a pool tile-replacement project. Ross said staff are exploring a possible community garden and additional walkway lighting at Steampunk Ranch and that disc golf operations and sanctioned leagues at Push Ridge will run June 1–Sept. 22.
Board members complimented staff on 50th-anniversary programming and asked staff to monitor member experience as participation grows. Ross said staff will track capacity concerns and report recommended options if the CRC approaches its operational limit.
What’s next: staff will continue project engineering, procurement and routine maintenance; several projects will be scheduled into next fiscal-year capital planning.
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