SRPNA looks out for night sky above field glare

Tucson's dome of nightly light pollution

TUCSON -- SRPNA today raised concerns about light pollution from ball field lights. The letter below was sent to Peg Weber of Tucson Parks & Rec., and other city officials. DRP

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Hi, Peg -- We ask Tucson Parks & Rec to please carefully inspect the ballfield lights this week, preferably at night, and consider the best ways to reduce glare and light pollution in to the night sky.

Perhaps we could meet with your staff to investigate and look for solutions?

Right now the lights on the NE field are on, and some are pointing up in to the sky. They may have been rearranged by monsoon winds.

The lights on the west field also shine in to the neighborhood pretty bad. We'd like them redirected, and perhaps dimmed or a few shut off.

We believe these lights may be in violation of Dark Sky rules and goals, and it has been quite a problem for a while. The new white lights have not helped, and even seem brighter.

Have these systems ever been checked for compliance with Dark Sky rules?

Also, sometimes the ballfield lights are on, but no one is playing. Is there a number we may call so they can be shut off? Seems like a lot of wasteful and expensive energy use.

Thank you,

Daniel Patterson
President
Santa Rita Park NA

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City response from Peg Weber of Parks & Rec., 9/21

Thank you for this e-mail discussion about the lights at Santa Rita Park. We have sent our staff to check the field lights, and early next week, our light contractor will be out to make needed adjustments to the lights...

The Sports Office of our Department has been informed, and will contact the leagues that play on the fields, asking that the lights be turned off when they have completed play, rather than waiting for the timer to shut them off. We are also checking the timer to assure it is operating correctly.

President Patterson talks with high school students

Daniel Patterson

TUCSON -- I was invited and spoke today about neighborhoods and Santa Rita Park at City High School downtown.

It went well. The students were pretty interested in considering more involvement in their neighborhoods, and curious about the issues and projects of SRPNA.

Menlo Park NA President Mac Hudson also spoke.

'1000 trees' coming to south Santa Rita Park

Kids dig planting trees

UPDATE, 10/28: This project was done and very successful. Let's do more street trees in SRPN.

TUCSON -- On October 27 people all across the city will be planting 1000 trees.

This is a positive and needed effort.

More trees will help beautify and cool Tucson, reducing the urban heat island effect, lowering energy use and related power bills, and provide more shade and habitat for people and wildlife.

Santa Rita Park will be planting at least 33 new community trees along 23rd street, between 4th & 6th avenues, and 5th avenue, between 22nd and 25th streets.

Santa Rita Park neighbors along the area have committed to care for the trees.

We thank '1000 Trees for Tucson' for donating trees to the Santa Rita Park Neighborhood Association, and Demion Clinco for helping organize this true 'urban renewal' effort.

Next SRPNA meeting is Wed., Oct 3, 5:30pm

TUCSON -- Join us Wed., Oct 3, 5:30-6:45pm for the next monthly meeting of the Santa Rita Park NA at the Sam Lena Library, 1607 S. 6th Ave. in South Tucson.

Our main item of discussion will be consideration of SRP neighborhood participation in the City's Neighborhood Preservation Zone Pilot program.

Hope to see you and your neighbors there!

SRPNA moves to oppose current skatepark plan

UPDATE, 10/31: Letter sent today to City leaders.

SANTA RITA PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

Oct 2007

Re: Proposed skate plaza in Santa Rita Park.

City leaders -- The Santa Rita Park Neighborhood Association has become very concerned about the proposed skate facility planned for the middle of our neighborhood park. Since it was proposed many years have passed and needs have changed.

After many years of delay, and no communication from Parks and Rec. or skate park proponents for many months, neighborhood support for this proposed project has dissipated. It has been replaced by growing concern that a large concrete skate plaza replacing one of the last usable open green-spaces in our historic park is not in the public-interest.

We consider Santa Rita Park our neighborhood's greatest asset. The park is both the geographical and cultural core of our community and its future progress is paramount in the improvement and potential of this area.

Yet, now this park does not serve our neighborhood the way it could or should. Too much of the park has become a void of fenced fields and useless space nearly impossible to traverse. The useless chopped-up fragments are further devalued by an erratic un-planned landscape and no master planning.

The future 22nd Street widening will take even more park space, leaving even less for the neighborhood. This end is not acceptable.

Today, the neighborhood association finds it unwise to endorse projects that further divide the park into special interest projects – resulting in the loss of open space, worsening the urban heat island effect and further limiting usability for the entire surrounding community.

Neighbors have mounting questions regarding the appropriateness of this proposal. Is the location and concept declared suitable years ago still relevant today? Will it serve the surrounding neighborhood? What demographic will this facility serve? Will this investment benefit our neighborhood? Who will manage this space? Who will provide security? Are other areas of the park more appropriate, such as the southeast corner of the park in the paved area between the pool and the railroad tracks?

The Santa Rita Park Neighborhood Association requests the skate park project to be placed on immediate hold. We would like to meet with city staff and leaders to discuss alternatives and options. We are currently working on a new park plan with the UA Drachman Institute, which will be done by the end of the year and include exciting new visionary ideas.

Thank you,
Daniel Patterson
President, Santa Rita Park Neighborhood Association

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TUCSON, 9/5 -- Tonight at our monthly meeting SRPNA members voted to oppose the current plans to build a concrete skateboard park within Santa Rita Park near S. 3rd Av. and E. 21st St.

We have requested a meeting with city leaders to discuss possible solutions.

Next Santa Rita Park NA meeting is Wed. Sept 5

SOUTH TUCSON -- SRPNA will next meet this Wed, Sept 5, 5:30-7pm at the Sam Lena Library, 1607 S. 6th Av. See below for some agenda items.

Please attend. Check back here later in the week for a likely update.

This Labor Day, let us all please remember the past and current struggles of workers.