'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 It has been replaced by growing concern that a large concrete skate plaza replacing one of the last usable open green-spaces in our historic park is not in the public-interest.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.