REMINDER: Today is the final day to submit feedback for the Reid Park draft master plan.
TUCSON, Ariz. — After two rounds of community surveys, multiple open houses, pop-up events and outreach campaigns, the City of Tucson is presenting a draft of its Reid Park Master Plan. All are invited to take part in one final survey about the future design and direction of Gene C.
Reid Park before the deadline on Monday, Dec. 19. City officials say over the two initial 'Reid Park Reimagined' surveys, they received 5,171 total responses. Based on responses, Tucson park-goers showed a wide interest in creating more wildlife-friendly areas of Reid Park, sharing their own experiences of animal encounters there—primarily water fowl and native birds.As such, the plan includes an ecology-focused design:"Citation Wash becomes a defining feature of the park, referencing Sonoran riparian habitats while offering flood control and water quality benefits," the website says. The new design will also incorporate desert habitat gardens, featuring vegetation representative of riparian areas, desert scrub-land, desert basin, and oak woodlands. It also"decentralizes programming," creating more distinct separation between active play-areas, cultural and event spaces, and the"natural recreation" spots. The planning team, which has consisted of Tucson Parks and Recreation, Sasaki, Kaneen Communications and Wheat Design Group, says they have out together a master plan for the public space they say reflects the input received from the community. "The result is a plan that balances this diverse community's many needs with targeted, cost-effective park improvements," the survey website says. Other top priorities for the Reid Park master plan include spaces for"quiet use," and overall more shade. Survey-takers who identified as racial and ethnic minorities also indicated a strong preference for increased spaces for fitness, wellness and outdoor gatherings. A more detailed breakdown of results and demographics, as well as detailed maps showing areas of focus, on the survey website. In this final four-question survey, titled 'Improvement prioritization,' responders are asked to rank the importance of the proposed changes in the master plan. The survey responses are designed to help the team implement changes in the order deemed most urgent by the public. According to the city, the first phase of park improvements have already been set according to Prop 407, approved by voters in 2018. Phase 1 will include a splash pad, Si Schorr path refurbishment and ramada renovations. The master plan is designed to function as a road map for future park improvements and budgets, ensuring future park projects and funding sources have an overall strategic vision as a reference point.Anne Simmons is a digital content producer for KGUN 9. Anne got her start in television while still a student at the University of Arizona. Before joining KGUN, she managed multiple public access television stations in the Bay Area and has worked as a video producer in the non-profit sector. Share your story ideas and important issues with Anne by emailing anne.simmons@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.
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