Vice Mayor Peggy Neely
City Sun Times March 2008
Sustaining Phoenix Parks and Preserves Benefits Everyone
One of the best things about living in a vast desert landscape like Phoenix is that we have the natural resources to sustain beautiful open space. In my column last month I stressed that open space enhances our quality of life; this month I’d like to expand on that theme and talk about a highly beneficial program called the Phoenix Parks and Preserve Initiative (3PI).
In the past 10 years, 3PI has generated $198 million to develop and improve parks and purchase Phoenix Sonoran Preserve land. This initiative is funded by a sales tax that amounts to just one penny for every $10 spent, a small price to pay for projects like Reach 11, one of my district’s most outstanding points of pride.
3PI has been a real win for our city. It has funded the development of nine regional parks, 52 new and renovated playgrounds, 23 shade structures and 35 ramadas. It also has increased the amount of sports lighting, park benches, picnic tables, grills and restrooms we utilize in our leisure time. In addition, nearly 4,000 acres of preserve land have been purchased with 3PI monies, keeping our extraordinary desert lands alive and well for future generations. Future plans for 3PI include expanding the program to allow for more park rangers and security and maintenance workers as well as creating shaded pedestrian and bike paths throughout the city.
Our parks and preserves benefit nearly everyone. Tourists and potential employees are drawn to our city by the beautiful parks and preserves we maintain, bringing tax dollars and national exposure to our district. Vast amounts of open space also give our kids the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors year-round, something not all metropolitan cities can boast. More parks and better parks improve our quality of life thanks to successful initiatives like 3PI.
Phoenix Vice Mayor Peggy Neely represents District 2, which includes most of northeast Phoenix. She can be reached at 602-262-7445 or through e-mail at council.district.2@phoenix.gov.