The Southeast Side will need around six times more parks than it has now to meet projected population growth, according to a city study.
The study, called the Valencia Corridor Long Range Park Plan, proposes 53 parks that would be built over several decades.
"Basically a 30- to 40-year window is what we're talking about," said consultant Walt Rogers of Olsson Associates. He spoke at a recent public meeting on the plan. The meeting was at Pima Community College's East Campus, 8181 E. Irvington Road.
The Valencia Corridor, the subject of the plan, encompasses 103 square miles. It's roughly from South Campbell Avenue on the west to the city's eastern limits, and from East Golf Links Road on the north to south of Interstate 10 in most areas.
The plan basically identifies locations for proposed parks based on existing needs, projected growth, land ownership and other factors.
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"We know that if we don't do it now, it may be too late," said Jim Conroy, administrator for Tucson Parks and Recreation's East District. "We are trying to make sure that our citizens are going to have the parks 10, 20, 30 years from now that the community deserves."
Rita Ranch resident Michael Tone, 36, was among the seven or so community members at the recent meeting.
"I'm just excited to see them having the planning and foresight for the parks," he said.
But Harry Clyde, 63, has several concerns about the plan. He lives near Desert View High School, 4101 E. Valencia Road, where the plan proposes a 172-acre metropolitan park.
"I see it destroying a natural habitat. I walk that land all the time. I see coyotes, javelinas, numerous kinds of birds. I just see that, if you develop that, you drive them into the mountains."
The plan estimates the Valencia Corridor will need 2,575 acres of parks in 2030 to meet the projected population for that area — 214,400 people, compared to 66,500 in the 2000 census. In 2008 there were 414 acres of parks within the corridor, so that's a 522 percent increase. The estimated cost of building those parks is around $269 million — a number that Rogers stressed is preliminary, saying the cost of land was one of the hardest things to pin down.
The 236-acre Esmond Station Regional Park is the largest in the plan. Like the 191-acre Abraham Lincoln Park, 4325 S. Pantano Road, Esmond would be a regional park, the largest type of park in the city system.
Esmond would be adjacent to Empire High School, 10701 E. Mary Ann Cleveland Way, and include the historic Esmond Station, the site of a giant 1903 train wreck.
The proposed Esmond Station Park site is part of the 12,000 acres of state trust land the Arizona State Land Department permitted developer Westcor to master plan.
In November Westcor announced it was taking a step back from the process because of the economy.
The Valencia Corridor study's estimated price tag for Esmond Station Park is around $74 million. That includes the cost of acquiring land and building the park. Proposed amenities include a recreational center, multiple playing fields and playgrounds, an off-leash dog area and an aquatic center.
Once built, it would become the closest regional park for Rita Ranch residents, though the neighborhood has smaller parks such as the 36-acre Purple Heart Park, 10050 E. Rita Road.
"I'm interested in ensuring that there are enough parks and recreation opportunities for the kids and adults alike," Tone said. "I live in Rita Ranch, so it's pretty rocky right now."
For more information
Go online to www.valenciacorridor.org for more information on the Valencia Corridor Long Range Park Plan, including maps and detailed information on each proposed park. There's also a survey for feedback on the plan.
