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| Pioneer Monument |
Pardon me while I gag and choke on that one. Seriously. . .
Gotta admit that your MesaZona blogger definitely has a different perspective after living for more than 15 years in New York City on the Upper Westside - one block west to Riverside Park that runs on the side of Hudson River from Battery Park north to above 96th - and three blocks east to Central Park. Pioneer Park here in Mesa is far from my idea of a "Great Public Space" after living downtown for 6 years.
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< Take the time to read it
"Early in 1878 with a straight edge and a spirit level they proved the feasibility of using the ancient Montezuma Canal to bring life-giving water from the Salt River to the desert sands. On February 14th work began on the project, A survey was made and stakes driven, May 16, 1878 to plat the townsite according to the "City of Zion" Plan given by Joseph Smith. the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. Elijah Pomeroy was the first bishop and A.F. Macdonald was the first mayor."
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BLOGGER NOTE: Ever since then there's a direct pipeline from the religion of the Pioneers where their descendants who are bishops and the leaders in LDS stakes and wards get elected to become mayors or elected/unelected power brokers in a closely-connected network of cohorts in Government, Finance, Insurance and Real Estate.
The pipeline still produces results from A.F.Macdonald the first mayor > the 40th mayor John Giles was also "a bishop'"
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Other than that, no other mention in the public park for the two indigenous cultures already living on the land for centuries before the arrival of The Pioneers in the late 19th Century.
Is that in any way a respect for the well-documented history or two earlier first peoples - Spanish-Mexican and the Hohokam/Salt River Pima Maricopa - or is it a skewed and flawed a one-dimensional interpretation?
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| Playground equipment |
[it's mostly a press release from the APA]
Pioneer Park named one of Great Public Spaces
by the American Planning Association
September 25, 2019 at 7:49 am
https://www.mesanow.org/news/public/article/2383:. . . The Great Neighborhoods, Great Streets and Great Public Spaces of 2019 are 13 places that are unique and exemplary in their success stories of revitalization, cultural identity and strong community connection. . . " Contacts: Sara Altieri, Dig Studio, sara@digstudio.com; 602-595-4101 x 211
Roberta Rewers, APA, rrewers@planning.org; 312-786-6395
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CREATING GREAT PLACES FOR ALL
Great Places in America
"Planning is behind the places communities value most.
For 12 years, APA has recognized the neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces that make communities stronger and bring people together through good planning. https://www.planning.org/greatplaces/
Good Planning Through Good Policies
Our 2019 Great Places designees represent the gold standard in planning and demonstrate why stakeholder engagement at the local, state, and federal levels matters.
2019 Great Public Spaces
Pioneer Park: Mesa, Arizona
"Pioneer Park, one of the oldest parks in Mesa, Arizona, was once a prized amenity for people living near the bustling downtown. But as families moved farther from the city center, the park, its surrounding neighborhood, and residents suffered.
By the end of the 20th century, Pioneer Park was neglected, filled with graffiti, and a site for unsavory business. One of its famed features, a historic train engine, was crawling with stray cats and locked behind an ominous steel tipped fence. But despite its dire state, long-time residents cherished Pioneer Park, remembering it fondly for what it had once meant to them.
The custom play experience was designed to resemble three existing legacy trees: pistache, pine, and palm. (Photo courtesy Landscape Structures.)
In the early 2000s, the City of Mesa formally recognized the ongoing challenges that continued to plague Pioneer Park, but also saw potential. City leaders viewed the park as an asset — one that could attract new life to the still slumbering downtown, while providing greatly needed local, walkable space for lifelong neighborhood residents. In 2012, the city leveraged bond funding to improve the park space, but officials knew from early planning and discussions with community members that more must be done. A master planning and design process, led by Dig Studio, was launched. . .
Working together, the city and Dig Studio crafted a new vision for Pioneer Park that balanced the needs of longtime advocates with larger-scale revitalization plans for the downtown. But public engagement did not stop when the plan was complete. The design team worked closely with park champions, including Mesa's mayor, Mesa's park director, and neighborhood organizations to preserve special elements in the park.
A shade structure cantilevers out to a 16-foot water wall that can display custom graphics.
Photo by Brandon Sobiech.
Photo by Brandon Sobiech.
The playground, which incorporates play features that weave through the trees, is visible from the light rail station adjacent to Pioneer Park, inviting residents of all ages, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds to be part of the action.
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LOOKS LIKE THE CITY OF MESA HAD ITS WELL-GREASED MEDIA SOURCES
READY-TO-GO
(the city announcement was published at 07:49 am yesterday
