Are Parks Play-Grounds For Politics? ...or GREEN SPACES for ReCreation?

Your MesaZona blogger always wondered from the get-go why the newsroom for the City of Mesa registers its internet website as a non-profit organization using the domain suffix .org usually reserved for NPs.
Is it registered and licensed as a Non-Profit by the State of Arizona in official public records with all of its staff working inside City Hall as city employees earning salaries paid for with taxpayer dollars?
Do they do their job keeping residents informed in a fair-and-balanced way? ...or do they fall short of the mark?

With all the recent Hulaboola about how all the millions in bond debt bucks of 2012 taxpayer-approved bond funds specifically designated for Parks-and-Recreation are getting used, or abused in questionable 'transfers', it's interesting to note a press release eight days ago to encourage residents so the city can get a $20,000 grant that collaborates with the Walt Disney Company to make improvements for "a local park"
 . . . so much fun in the urban jungle of politics we have here in Mesa!
It's so easy to get caught up in it.

Nominate Mesa to win $20,000 during "Meet Me at the Park" campaign  03-27-2017 at 5:31:00 PMSource: City of Mesa Newsroom 
Local parks make Mesa a better place to live and shape so many of our lives. That's why residents will have the opportunity from April 1 through April 30 to nominate Mesa to receive $20,000 in grant funding to make improvements at a City park.
As part of Earth Month, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is collaborating with The Walt Disney Company, including Disney Citizenship, Disney/ABC Television Group and ESPN, to revitalize parks across the U.S. for a third year. The city that receives the most nominations during the "Meet Me at the Park" campaign will receive a $20,000 grant to improve a local park.

"This is a fantastic offer from Disney to give our residents an opportunity to let the entire country know that Mesa offers dozens of unique parks, first-class athletic fields, aquatic complexes and recreation centers," City Manager Chris Brady said. "I am confident we can get the nominations needed to receive a grant to make one of our parks even better."

By visiting www.NRPA.org/BeInspired, park supporters can nominate the City of Mesa. At the end of April, the city with the most nominations will receive the grant funding. New this year, everyone who nominates Mesa will be entered into a drawing for a tablet outfitted for the outdoors.
"Supporting local parks is essential to the health and vitality of communities everywhere," NRPA Director of Conservation Lori Robertson said. "That's why we are proud to collaborate with Disney to help fund critical park improvement projects in communities in need. We encourage everyone to join us in giving back to the places that shape so much of our lives by voting in this year's Meet Me at the Park campaign."
This Earth Month, Mesa can show what parks mean to our community.

 

Encourage your friends to nominate our City by taking a selfie in your favorite park and using the hashtags #MeetMeAtThePark, #Parkies and #BeInspired.

For more information and to nominate the City of Mesa, visit www.NRPA.org/BeInspired.

Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities
Contact: Kevin Christopher
Tel. 480-644-4699kevin.christopher@mesaaz.gov