I went to Reid Park this week to see what was working, what wasn't, and what people were doing. Here's what I saw: A lot of families spending time together. People kicking soccer balls or using open space for informal sports. Literally no one on the baseball fields.
This plan has too much parking — especially the 30-space lot right in the middle of primo green space. Too many baseball fields remain. In general, the concept art on signs looks like a boring office park in Scottsdale, so I'm not super stoked about the new facilities. The renderings appear to have been done by someone who has never been responsible for childcare, never stood in the sun on a hot day, and definitely never done both at once.
I like that there are playground spaces near both the north and south ends of the park. I don't think desert botanical gardens are not the best use of Reid Park. If the goal is ecological restoration, distributed plantings of mesquite, palo verde, and other locally appropriate trees will better fulfill that goal than an isolated simulation of a Sonoran ecosystem ... and they also provide shade. People love shade trees! It's what we sit under when the sun is out.
I can't stress this enough. Plant trees that will provide shade. (And please don't cut down any mature trees! Even palm trees provide habitat. I saw an owl chilling out in a palm tree when I visited. He seemed to spend a lot of time there; there was a desiccated owl pellet on the ground below. It's appropriate to replace palms over time as they die off, but this city needs literally any trees so badly.)
And for the love of god, landscape architects: Please knock it off with these silly loopy paths. People want to get from point A to point B as they walk across the park. The weird kidney-shaped paths that look extra-fancy in a birdseye rendering are so frustrating when a person wants to walk from (e.g.) the rose garden to the playground at the northwest corner. Imagine doing this while caring for a grandchild. No one in is like, "wow, this unnecessarily long path is so whimsical."
If the golf course absolutely needs to continue existing, it should not continue to block bike and pedestrian access to the park from the east. The only way to the park is via 22nd, Broadway, or 5th — take your pick of four, five, or six-lane roads. The golf course has like four times the green space of Reid Park. It's big, exclusionary, and hostile to pedestrians. The number of features crammed into all these Reid Park redesigns are a reflection of how much public space we've sacrificed to a closed-off golf course.
Tell us whether you think these elements of Concept 2 are a good idea, neutral or bad idea.
1. Large land area dedicated to native plantings representative of diverse Sonoran habitats - Bad Idea
2. Removal of all but one baseball field to create a natural landscape the aids in flood control - Good Idea
3. The realignment of Citation Wash to create floodable landscapes that improve water quality - Good Idea
4. Observation structures and bird blinds to enjoy scenic views and wildlife watching throughout the park - Neutral
5. Reduced quantity of turf in favor of native desert landscaping practices - Bad Idea
6. Reduction in land area dedicated to the dog park - Neutral
7. Removal of parking from the south side of the park along 22nd Street - Good Idea
8. Centralized approach to parking that places most spaces at the northeast side of the park. - Good Idea
9. A large centralized playground rather than multiple smaller playgrounds - Bad Idea
I like that this removes some parking. A central playground is less important than access to play areas for parents. The idea of integrating an artificial water feature into Citation Wash is like ... dude, Citation Wash is straight-up super-gnarly stormwater when it flows. The soil does a great job of capturing heavy metals dumped into the environment by motor vehicles. "I want my kid to play in a bioremediation area" is not a top outcome for me. Tucson just wants nice outdoor places to chill. We want green spaces because none of us have lawns. There's xeriscaping all over Tucson. The city needs a great big green space to just chill out and hang. With lots of shade trees.
I just want to mention again what an absolute waste of space the golf course is. There needs to be bike and pedestrian access across the golf course. No amount of "featurizing" Reid Park can make up for the fact that the city-owned golf-course blocks recreational access to the city-owned park.
Tell us whether you think these elements of Concept 3 are a good idea, neutral or bad idea.
1. Large area dedicated to cultural events, performances and festivals - Bad Idea
2. Creation of a vehicular loop with parking areas that allows easy access to ramadas and event venues - Bad Idea
3. Removal of all but one baseball field to create multi-purpose fields and event spaces - Good Idea
4. The creation of an oxbow in the Citation Wash that divides the main event venues from the other areas of the park - Bad Idea
5. An enlarged dog park connected to walking trails - Neutral
6. Reduction in total land area dedicated to parking through the construction of a parking garage in order to create more green space - Neutral
7. Creation of a planted buffer between the Hi-Corbett Parking Lots and Randolph Way. - Neutral
8. A large centralized playground near the ARC rather than multiple smaller playgrounds - Bad Idea
9. Integration of an interactive water feature in the plaza at the outdoor performance center - Bad Idea
This isn't a park plan, it's a road-and-zoo-parking plan. This is hot garbage of the worst kind. Tucson deserves an awesome space to chill out, where families and kids can run and play. But instead this plan puts a road through some of the best green space in Tucson in order to provide access to literally a thousand new parking spots for the zoo.
Above-ground parking costs about $35k per spot. So is Tucson going to spend $35 to $63 million building zoo parking?
What a colossal waste of money and open space. Please, please, please don't put a loop road through Reid Park.
Based on the three concepts which do you believe…
1. Is the best place to go for a relaxing walk. - Concept 1
2. Is the best place to bring children to play and learn. - Concept 1
3. Is an inspiring place for large community events and performances. - Concept 1
4. Is the type of park I'd use on a daily basis. - Concept 1
5. Best matches the spirit and character of Tucson. - Concept 1
Citation Wash: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
2
Why? (Optional)
Because it's a city park, the use case is chilling out.
Cooling Features: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
3
Why? (optional)
Splash pad goal = kids run and scream until tired out. Also, trees. Please, high-friction surfaces.
Cultural Venues: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
4
Why? (Optional)
Least amount of concrete / rock. I just want to chill in the dang park, man.
Desert Landscape: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
4
Why? (Optional)
I just want to chill in the park under a tree.
Dog Parks: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
4
Why? (Optional)
Grass, shade, no weird pointless hills with unnecessarily steep grades.
Multipurpose Rec: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.
Why? (Optional)
Why do you want to pave everything can you not tell from my comments how badly I need to touch grass
Observation Structures: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
4
Why? (Optional)
This is the only option that doesn't look ridiculous
Parking Garage: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.
Why? (Optional)
Have you lost your mind literally no one enjoys visiting or using a parking garage
Pedestrian Infrastructure: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
1
Why? (Optional)
I like bicycles
Playscapes: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.
Why? (Optional)
Who mocked up image number two and have they ever been responsible for a child
Plazas: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.
Why? (Optional)
THESE ARE SUMMERTIME HELLSCAPES UNSUITABLE FOR HUMAN USE
Shade: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.
Why? (Optional)
It appears that we are planning for a future in which trees are no longer a viable form of shade
Did you, or will you, attend the Open House on September 10th at Reid Park OPC (5-7pm)?
No
I am...
a full-time resident of the Tucson metro area (more than 6 months a year)
How would you best identify yourself? (select all that apply)
Prefer not to say
What is your age?
25-44
How do you describe your gender identity?
Other - autistic, need to touch grass
What is your household income?
Prefer not to say
What is your zip code?
No response.
How far do you live from Reid Park?
More than 5 miles (8 km)
Is there anything else you'd like to tell us? (optional)
Please don't put a loop road through Reid Park. There are so few quiet areas in this town where we can get away from cars. This makes me so sad.
Also, please build a bike/ped path across the golf course; it's ridiculous that a city-owned property blocks so much access to a city-owned park. Any park plan that doesn't consider access is incomplete.
Open Town Hall is not a certified voting system or ballot box. As with any public comment process, participation in Open Town Hall is voluntary. The responses in this record are not necessarily representative of the whole population, nor do they reflect the opinions of any government agency or elected officials.
Translate
Tell us whether you think these elements of Concept 1 are a good idea, neutral or bad idea.
What is your overall rating of Concept 1?
Tell us why you gave Concept 1 this rating
I went to Reid Park this week to see what was working, what wasn't, and what people were doing. Here's what I saw: A lot of families spending time together. People kicking soccer balls or using open space for informal sports. Literally no one on the baseball fields.
This plan has too much parking — especially the 30-space lot right in the middle of primo green space. Too many baseball fields remain. In general, the concept art on signs looks like a boring office park in Scottsdale, so I'm not super stoked about the new facilities. The renderings appear to have been done by someone who has never been responsible for childcare, never stood in the sun on a hot day, and definitely never done both at once.
I like that there are playground spaces near both the north and south ends of the park. I don't think desert botanical gardens are not the best use of Reid Park. If the goal is ecological restoration, distributed plantings of mesquite, palo verde, and other locally appropriate trees will better fulfill that goal than an isolated simulation of a Sonoran ecosystem ... and they also provide shade. People love shade trees! It's what we sit under when the sun is out.
I can't stress this enough. Plant trees that will provide shade. (And please don't cut down any mature trees! Even palm trees provide habitat. I saw an owl chilling out in a palm tree when I visited. He seemed to spend a lot of time there; there was a desiccated owl pellet on the ground below. It's appropriate to replace palms over time as they die off, but this city needs literally any trees so badly.)
And for the love of god, landscape architects: Please knock it off with these silly loopy paths. People want to get from point A to point B as they walk across the park. The weird kidney-shaped paths that look extra-fancy in a birdseye rendering are so frustrating when a person wants to walk from (e.g.) the rose garden to the playground at the northwest corner. Imagine doing this while caring for a grandchild. No one in is like, "wow, this unnecessarily long path is so whimsical."
If the golf course absolutely needs to continue existing, it should not continue to block bike and pedestrian access to the park from the east. The only way to the park is via 22nd, Broadway, or 5th — take your pick of four, five, or six-lane roads. The golf course has like four times the green space of Reid Park. It's big, exclusionary, and hostile to pedestrians. The number of features crammed into all these Reid Park redesigns are a reflection of how much public space we've sacrificed to a closed-off golf course.
Tell us whether you think these elements of Concept 2 are a good idea, neutral or bad idea.
What is your overall rating of Concept 2?
Tell us why you gave Concept 2 this rating
I like that this removes some parking. A central playground is less important than access to play areas for parents. The idea of integrating an artificial water feature into Citation Wash is like ... dude, Citation Wash is straight-up super-gnarly stormwater when it flows. The soil does a great job of capturing heavy metals dumped into the environment by motor vehicles. "I want my kid to play in a bioremediation area" is not a top outcome for me. Tucson just wants nice outdoor places to chill. We want green spaces because none of us have lawns. There's xeriscaping all over Tucson. The city needs a great big green space to just chill out and hang. With lots of shade trees.
I just want to mention again what an absolute waste of space the golf course is. There needs to be bike and pedestrian access across the golf course. No amount of "featurizing" Reid Park can make up for the fact that the city-owned golf-course blocks recreational access to the city-owned park.
Tell us whether you think these elements of Concept 3 are a good idea, neutral or bad idea.
What is your overall rating of Concept 3?
Tell us why you gave Concept 3 this rating
This isn't a park plan, it's a road-and-zoo-parking plan. This is hot garbage of the worst kind. Tucson deserves an awesome space to chill out, where families and kids can run and play. But instead this plan puts a road through some of the best green space in Tucson in order to provide access to literally a thousand new parking spots for the zoo.
Above-ground parking costs about $35k per spot. So is Tucson going to spend $35 to $63 million building zoo parking?
What a colossal waste of money and open space. Please, please, please don't put a loop road through Reid Park.
Based on the three concepts which do you believe…
Citation Wash: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
Why? (Optional)
Because it's a city park, the use case is chilling out.Cooling Features: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
Why? (optional)
Splash pad goal = kids run and scream until tired out. Also, trees. Please, high-friction surfaces.Cultural Venues: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
Why? (Optional)
Least amount of concrete / rock. I just want to chill in the dang park, man.Desert Landscape: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
Why? (Optional)
I just want to chill in the park under a tree.Dog Parks: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
Why? (Optional)
Grass, shade, no weird pointless hills with unnecessarily steep grades.Multipurpose Rec: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.Why? (Optional)
Why do you want to pave everything can you not tell from my comments how badly I need to touch grassObservation Structures: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
Why? (Optional)
This is the only option that doesn't look ridiculousParking Garage: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.Why? (Optional)
Have you lost your mind literally no one enjoys visiting or using a parking garagePedestrian Infrastructure: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
Why? (Optional)
I like bicyclesPlayscapes: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.Why? (Optional)
Who mocked up image number two and have they ever been responsible for a childPlazas: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.Why? (Optional)
THESE ARE SUMMERTIME HELLSCAPES UNSUITABLE FOR HUMAN USEShade: Select an image that looks most like a place you'd enjoy visiting and using
No response.Why? (Optional)
It appears that we are planning for a future in which trees are no longer a viable form of shadeDid you, or will you, attend the Open House on September 10th at Reid Park OPC (5-7pm)?
I am...
How would you best identify yourself? (select all that apply)
What is your age?
How do you describe your gender identity?
What is your household income?
What is your zip code?
No response.How far do you live from Reid Park?
Is there anything else you'd like to tell us? (optional)
Please don't put a loop road through Reid Park. There are so few quiet areas in this town where we can get away from cars. This makes me so sad.
Also, please build a bike/ped path across the golf course; it's ridiculous that a city-owned property blocks so much access to a city-owned park. Any park plan that doesn't consider access is incomplete.