SedonaEye.com columnist Eddie Maddock visits the Sunset Park splash pad project in progress.
Sedona AZ (April 3, 2014) – As indicated on the large sign posted at the project site, construction of the children’s Splashpad at Sunset Park commenced in March as scheduled and completion is anticipated by June 2014.
Except for the one large tree removed many months ago, it seems efforts are being extended to conserve other vegetation. It was noted that even in a trench leading to the water main by the public restrooms, a very large root has been left intact which, of course, is good news considering that’s what parks generally represent: TREES.
It also appears consideration to other smaller trees located near the younger children’s pavilion will not be sacrificed nor will the dedicated trees to the east. It was also noted that a mature tree not far from where the “granddaddy” was removed has been carefully barricaded to prevent damage.
The rather extensive trenches excavated to allow connection to the water source toward the public restrooms appear to be properly fenced for safety.
A portion of the project is near the older children’s play area and, not surprisingly, has at least temporarily hampered accessibility.
When completed, according to Rachel Murdoch, Sedona Parks and Recreation Manager, it will be the only such facility in the entire Verde Valley if not all of northern Arizona.
Is it possible this might become even a bigger attraction than the famous Red Rocks of Sedona which lured most of us here in the first place?
“Build it and they will come” are relevant words associated with the 1989 movie Field of Dreams.
However, the question remains: Where will they park?
For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!
What? Doesn’t the “new” community plan preach sustainability? Since when isn’t water conservation during 14 years of drought an important consideration? Here we go again. Another case of do as we say and not as we do. Have you ever . . . . . .???????
a. AB 1748 Discussion/possible direction regarding the implementation priorities for the New
Sedona Community Plan.
b. AB 1768 Discussion/possible action regarding an enhanced electronic Sedona Community
Plan.
What were they thinking??? The citizens of Sedona are asked to purchase low-flow toilets to conserve water then they (the powers-that-be) spend tens of thousands of dollars for a boondoggle that sends thousands of gallons of precious water down the drain every day that it’s used. I may be mistaken but the water isn’t even collected and then used to water the lawn at the park.
It’s always easy to spend other people’s money. Instead of wasting money for something that is only going to be used a few months out of the year by a very limited number of people, the money would have been better spent by enclosing the existing public pool so that it could be used year round by all of the citizens of Sedona.
Listening to the news…….talking about arizona drought.
Say what city council? Have you lost your minds? Splashpad?????
Looks like…..acts like….. a bunch of stooges. But your not funny.
Thank you Eddie for letting us know.
Once again Eddie has hit the nail on the head….regarding the new expensive water park the City is so enthusiastically supportive of…. And which caused Harold’s comment above. The word and concept of “sustainability” is what caused me to start thinking on a larger basis and one for all of us to contemplate.
My point is that I see there is, yet again, another City Council “Executive Session” next Wednesday 4/9) at 3:00 to discuss the City Buying the property called “Lomacasi” located just off of 89A and north of uptown and down a very narrow, if, two lane road and encompasses several acres on our Creek and which has been a “tax paying” business motel business for decades.
How do I lump this with Eddie’s article? Easy; More Crazy and unsustainable financial decisions made – or in the making – by Council….or who ever it is on Council looking to have name recognition.
What I would like to know is: who is pushing this to Council to even consider this insane purchase and who on Council got this on the agenda? Surely those are not difficult questions for the City to answer.
The issue of sustainability comes into play with the question of How Much Money is Our Council Willing To Pay For Issues That Are NOT Basic Services and the better question is – just where does that money come from and what is the ultimate reduction of our Basic Services improvements – as a result.
So once again Eddie has accurately reported an issue and in doing so she has stretched our minds to took at the overall picture and on many levels.
Thanks Eddie and I’ll continue Looking and Learning.
You’re right Harold.
Gosh wonder why no one else in the verde valley decided to build one. The waters going to run and not even recycled to water the lawn. What a crime.
If Ms Rachel Murdoch wants to impress someone why doesn’t she maintain the already existing dog park.
About that Lomacasi property. Most of us know it’s been Rob Adam’s vision to have a park and creek walk left as his legacy. Need I say more? Oops, maybe just one other thought. When John D. Miller was a candidate for city council last election a point of his platform was for the city to own the remaining land uptown where that huge development was planned a few years ago. Well, maybe the compromise is the Lomacasi land? BTW, wasn’t John D. Miller the listing agent for the Brewer Road acreage which the city just recently purchased for much more than the appraised value? Hmm . . . Miller has also been known in the past to hound the city to purchase the cultural park acreage as was made public in a letter to the editor of a local paper some years back when Dick Ellis was the mayor. My, my. Could this be another example of birds of a feather flocking together?
I haven’t been here for very long but wasn’t it due to lack of water that the Montezuma tribe (maybe another) left the area? Sure, it’s sweet to want our kids to have fun but Russian Roulette with water? City Council should be ashamed for having approved this at critical times. I hope it crosses their minds as we make decisions of what’s important to take when and if we have that dreaded notice to evacuate because of wild fire. This is no joke. City Council, your priorities are vastly distorted and that’s a fact based on drought and posted fire danger warnings. Once that water starts running into the splashpad every drop represent one that could be used towards fighting a disaster. Unbelievable.
Welcome home Liz! Once again you tagged the issue.
Big problem is that City Council seems to not be ashamed of this or anything they approve….so how do we help them realize the mistakes they make are vastly distorted as they are mainly their personal agenda items and just simply not the same ones the vast majority would make?
I call it a “spit pad” as the water used is not recycled on any level……….just like spiting in the wind.
The splash pad which was the basis for Eddie’s article is only a symptom. If you give people with nothing to do or an agenda free money, they will spend it.
Please, tell your neighbors and friends. Sedona Fire and Sedona Schools receive NO funds from the City of Sedona.
Have them vote for NO HOME RULE, to stop the city of Sedona from spending over 3 times what the maximum the state of Arizona says a city this size should spend. The tourists are not the only ones that pay the taxes, YOU DO!
Sedona disincorporation is an option, but we can make progress on stopping the excessive spending with NO HOME RULE.
You can change this city. You have to spread the word.
Let’s get some city council candidates who can walk the walk and be realistic about sustainability. Let’s change the paint codes so we’re not spending $$ air conditioning or swamp cooling our houses because our roofs and exterior paint aborbs the sun’s rays. Let’s encourage intelligent ways to conserve water instead of building water parks and for heaven’s sake let’s not chop down any more trees!!
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@Richard
You say, “we can make progress on stopping the excessive spending with no home rule”
Can you explain how that may happen? If the city were to stop the excess spending as you see it, what services would I loose?
@ Food for Thought
The city of Sedona has a 2014 budget of $35-38 Million dollars depending if they spend all they have budgeted.
Police is $2-3 million
Roads and public works $3-4 million
Waste water plant $2.5 to 3 million
total costs above about $10 million
That leaves over $25 million spent on other salaries, benefits, gifts to the Chamber of commerce, film festival, buying property to encourage tourism, water parks. It’s all in the budget at sedonaaz.gov.
To answer your question, if run correctly you would not lose any essential services. Sedona Fire and Sedona Schools get NO money from the city.
A lot of city employees would lose their six figure salaries and 1 month vacation/leave the first year of employment. The chamber of commerce would lose a couple of million a year in un accountable subsidies. But other cities give no money to their chamber. We might get a few less tourists. You would pay a lot less taxes.
I just finished watching the Cottonwood City council meeting. Sedona could learn a lot from them. They are so conservative with the residents dollars and water. Did you know that they don’t even allow mister-systems in the city because they are a waste of water? And here we are in Sedona thinking that we know best pouring dollars and water down the drain in a splash pad.
Mayor and council GET A CLEW it’s not to late to stop this madness.
I live in a floodzone, so I am always reviewing city spending. I especially take note of expenditures that come before our drainage issues. It is infuriating to see the city’s budget, and know that public safety is not glamorous enough to earn a top priority in spending.
Imagine being threatened by improvement zones due to a lack of money and then seeing a splashpad being built? I have kids that will love the splashpad, but it can wait until no one in Sedona needs to worry when it rains.
What is also infuriating is that these comments are being made after it is too late. We need more citizen’s, like the folks commenting here, to get involved before the ground is broken on these projects. The budget is on the city’s website, the budget meetings are announced, and only a few show up to add input. I think that the people commenting here are truly concerned citizens and probably do go to council meetings. Unfortunately their numbers are few and the number of apathetic citizen’s is too large.
We are, as citizens, their bosses and they are supposed to answer to us. All of us need to get more involved by getting our friends and neighbors more involved. We need to do whatever it takes to build our numbers because numbers represent votes, and votes are what most politicians are concerned about. Home rule or not, we have given them the keys to our city with no accountability except for three minutes we are generously given at the meetings. Multiply that three minutes by 60 and maybe things change.
@Chris G
Will you please run for City Council? Your take is absolutely correct and we Need You to help all of us.
Wasting water on a “Splash Pad” when the Community pool was so recently and completely renovated? When the Fire Season has begun and fire restrictions are in effect? How is this splash pad going to affect the fire hydrants water flow / pressure throughout the City?
Sedona requires permits for Block Parties, is charging entry fees for the Easter Egg (*correction – Spring Festival). Is advertising events for “Sedona and the Verde Valley”, is giving unaccountable millions to the Chamber of Commerce so that they can endorse things like a European Rhine River Cruise and the events occurring in the Verde Valley?
Six figure incomes run wild throughout City positions for a retirement community town of 10,000 people who survive on fixed incomes? Where do these six-figured employees choose to live? VOC? Cottonwood? Flagstaff? Why don’t they live in they City where they work, and thus pay the taxes in which they keep increasing? They respond it is because they cannot afford to live in Sedona. So, how do they expect others to?
And people wonder where there is money to be saved? Where in the bloated $35 Million Dollar Budget cutbacks could be made?
“Because you can’t argue with all the fools in the world. It’s easier to let them have their way, then trick them when they’re not paying attention.”
― Christopher Paolini
There needs to a change, there needs to be checks and balances. There needs to be less fools in charge.
There needs to be a NO vote on the Home Rule. Sedona, a retirement community of 10,000, collecting and spending THREE TIMES what the State allows = RIDICULOUS and ABSURD!
For as many people as are speaking up, it may not take many more of these Splash Pads / Spring Festivals / Marathon “Events” / Film Festivals / Jazz Festivals / donations to the Red Rock News and Chamber of Commerce before people and their neighbors agree to Dis-Incorporate. Sounds good to me!
A good place to start is with a NO vote on the HOME RULE Ballot.
The meter on the park sign indicates the project is half finished. Dry vegetation reeks with thirst for water and this city government that speaks of “sustainability” continues to play Russian Roulette with water, the lifeline to all existence. Blow wind, blow. They hear you not.
Message to those who posted comments that Sedona Eye used the wrong term (Spash Park) when reporting this installation, kindly look at the above article, including the progress sign. Fair is fair. Because a few may have identified the facility incorrectly, why blame the web site? Keep in mind that all comments appear which is a rare event in a Sedona publication. Maybe if this web site, Sedona Eye, were to suddenly disappear you might miss its value.
After three months of construction and a valiant fundraising effort from members of the Sedona community, the brand new Splash Park opens for children to enjoy at Sunset Park on Thursday, June 5, 2014!
This 1,900 square foot splash park is appropriately located next to the existing playgrounds at the park and features eight ground sprays and five above grade spray features. All spray features are on a timer, that when activated, will turn on the water using three different spray sequences. This will use the water most efficiently and keep the children guessing and having fun about where the water will come out next.
Splash parks are designed to be safe and all-ages friendly by having zero depth water accumulation. Toddlers will be able to play in the water without needing to be held by parents. The park was designed with play areas and water features appropriate for children of different ages and heights. There will be a toddler bay in one corner and larger water features for the big kids spread throughout.
The water features are considered to be another great amenity for the community to enjoy at the park. There is no fee for playing. The water features may be activated from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. The Parks and Recreation Department plans on having the splash park open through September. This is subject to change based on weather conditions annually.
Grab your swimsuit and sunscreen and head over to Sunset Park, 655 Sunset Drive, to check out this fun new playground. Additional parking is available along Shelby Drive, a short walk along the existing sidewalk and over the bridge into the park.
Please contact Parks and Recreation at (928) 282-7098 with any questions.
To those of you who accused this web site for having incorrectly identified the Splash Pad as a Splash or Water Park, please take note of the Grand Opening notice posted by Parks & Recreation City of Sedona. (New SPLASH PARK)
Enjoy Kids!!!!!!!
Small children encouraged to run around on wet concrete. What could possibly go wrong?
All those lifeguards and parents over the years that tell children not to run around the pool, must be wrong.
“use the water most efficiently”….by spraying it on concrete during a drought?
Still can’t help but question Sedona’s rationale or justification of spending almost $300,000 just to spray water on the concrete ground, just to have it run un-recycled down the drain.
Especially when the Slide Fire is so recent and Arizona has cities such as Williams and Flagstaff who have already or are drastically close to completely running out of water. Not to mention when they are raising the sewage fees for businesses and residents.
Once again Enjoy Children….
As a lesson, you will always encounter hateful people will will try to destroy your fun.. Don’t let em
Have fun
You will also encounter illiterate people who don’t edit their work, and assume things.
Nobody said anything about being against fun. It’s about fiscal responsibility vs. wasteful spending.
Sedona’s community pool was recently renovated, wasn’t it?
Kids used to have fun running through the sprinklers in their yard, and the grass would get watered. The homeowner was taking financial responsibility, and was only one footing the bill. Unlike the “Splash Park.”
In life, you will encounter city employees that spend more money than they have coming in just so they can try to collect more next year and justify their existence. It’s amazing how creative people can get when wasting money that isn’t theirs. Hence, a “Splash Park” in the middle of a desert, during a severe drought.
You will also encounter people that eventually cry uncle and say enough is enough.
Just curious, how many of the city employees live outside the city limits?
Kids will be kids, they find fun with the hose, kitchen pans and spoons. As a parent I do not expect the City to entertain my kids. The city should take care of their own roads, wastewaster ect. Wasteful, shame on you——- the City of Sedona, council and employees.
I always read here how people dislike the fact that Sedona gives money to the chamber of commerce..
No withstanding the water issue .. This park is for kids and yes sedona children will be using it..
Unsure about your insults, I guess it proves my point about hatefull people..
@Jan
You are a glowing example of the new ENTITLEMENT GENERATION.
@Sedona Kids
Kudos to you and your sound thinking.
Amen.
I was trying to be nice but screw you… Won’t be back to this site.. I’ll be taking my young grandchildren to the new Splash park.. Thank you Sedona keep up the good work..
@Jan “Screw you?” What a lovely thing for a grandmother to be teaching her grandchildren over and above the lesson that government owes them their heart’s desire regardless of the cost. Entitlement, entitlement, entitlement.
Been watching this site for a long time and just sitting back to see where it all will go………….until today.
Now I’m just feeling that Jan and etc. (the Toms) keep using us (the real people) FOR THEIR NARROW CRAZY DIRECTIONS – AND WITHOUT CONFIRMERATION.
The topic of the lengthy ranting’s was “Sedona Water Park Project Underway”.
Think you all need to get a grip and just STOP your personal Crap!!!
Simply have to agree that a “Splash Park” in the midst of a major drought is senseless….even while Jan wants the kids to have fun………..kids don’t pay the bills or taxes or understand the mistakes of their elders…….and Jan needs to come to grips with city reality….a water splash park in the midst of a drought and kids get to slip and slide on cement and water not recycled AND what’s the city liability for head or body crashes on the slippery cement?
Hey Jan – take a moment to really think it through…if you only care about kids in sprinklers that set up your yard and get the proper liability insurance and go for it girl!!!
Some one needs to get a grip on this way out of line City PARKS Girl – Rachel – and could we please just come back to normal?
Could we come back to realizing that the City Staff doesn’t run our City?…. it is the elected who do that…What a fight between staff and their employers……..called the electorate!
The Splash Park is now open and Oh My! I’ve now sat in the park a few time to watch the kids play in the water, and this is what I’ve witnessed:
1st trip – 6-7 kids about 4 to 7 years old in shoes and clothes pushing and pulling on the equipment to try to get the water to turn on, while two older boys on bicycles tore through the equipment chasing the little ones away. Water came on after they all left.
2nd trip – Dry cement with a little 2 year old wondering around alone. Then the water came on out of 15-20 places. 7-8 kids in the bathing suits went running to it from where they ‘ld been sitting at a table. The second they got there the water shut off, and they too pushed and pulled on the equipment to try to get it started again.
Today I met a friend there that had a watch on so We timed the water show. (No kids there) The water goes on for 30 seconds, then stays off for 30 minutes. Let Me repeat that, The water goes on for 30 seconds, then stays off for 30 minutes, and the concrete is totally dry in 10-15 minutes. What’s fun about that?
However I did get an email from Parks & Rec. yesterday saying the next 3 Wednesdays in June, they would be turning the sprinklers on, to water the lawn, from 11:00 to 1:00 for the kids to come play in, along with the Splash Park.
I have nothing else to say!
Funny if it want true….
I’ve had a totally different experience than you…
Every time I ride my bike down there I see 10 -20 happy little kids running around between the playground and then the splash pad.. Pure joy for those little ones!!
I think you hated has jaded you and you only see what you want to see
Re Funny but Sad, the following is a city promotion (please note reference to “Splash PARK” directly from Parks & Rec. Dept:”
“City of Sedona Government
WET WEDNESDAYS
July is National Parks and Recreation month, and to celebrate this occasion, your local Sedona Parks and Recreation Department is happy to provide Wet Wednesdays.
For the entire month of July, all Wednesdays will be wet at the park. Join your friends on the grass field at Sunset Park, 655 Sunset Drive, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to run and play on the green grass with the sprinklers turned on and a thirty-foot dual lane, inflatable slip n’ slide! New this year is the Splash Park and covered playground.
Nothing feels as good as cool water on a hot day. Pack a picnic, play on the playground, run in the water, or relax under a shade tree. We want you to enjoy an afternoon at your local community park.
Once the sprinklers turn off at 1 p.m., it is time to head to the Sedona Community Pool for Recreation swim. It is only $2 for children and $3 for adults and is open from 1p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The pool is located at 570 Posse Ground Road behind West Sedona School.
Let’s all enjoy National Parks and Recreation month by taking part in Wet Wednesdays on the 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 of July. ”
“Relax under a shade tree.” Oops, how quickly they forgot that the largest shade tree was chopped down for the 1,900 square-foot splash pad which cost $269,000 and and also created the need for a new shade cover at the adjacent older kid’s playground. Also Ms. Rachel Murdoch who according to her own words calls all shots within Parks & Rec without question estimates monthly water usage for the “pad” to be 330,000 gallons! Yep, folks, that’s per month!
BUT THE FEATURED EVENT FOR THE MONTH OF JULY IS RUNNING THROUGH SPRINKLERS ON THE LAWN.
Btw.
There still shade trees there… Saw families sit tinting under them Eddie.. Maybe turn your EYE on the joy created
best yet yours and mostly the sales tax from tourists payed for it.. Can’t imagine the money I spend on groceries, gas and such adds up to much revenue for the town.
Whoa ho, ho “Kano.” Just because someone else had a different experience than you does not call for your “hateful” response. Nowhere in the above comments do I find anyone indicating a dislike for little children let alone hating them or attempting to deprive them of pleasure.
What I do read are comments from concerned people. And rightfully so when Asst. City Mgr. Karen Daines has gone on record that “projects without dedicated revenue streams, including most sidewalk, drainage, and public safety projects, must all compete for a finite amount of General Fund resources.” And at the same time Rachel Murdoch has gone on record to question why anyone would question her recommendations and/or decisions? Why does she and her Parks & Recreation have ample dedicated funding when “public safety projects” do not?
For Parks & Recreation to now open up the sprinklers on the grass for the pleasure of children after Ms. Murdoch’s lavish $270,000 recommendation is installed adds insult to injury. While people on fixed incomes are being asked to carry a large portion of the financial burden to accommodate carte blanche funding for the likes of the Chamber of Commerce, Parks & Recreation, and other unaccountable give-away programs standing in line for $$$$? Well, who is it that’s really being hateful by denying basic safety features for the entire community, including tourists, to favor the new generation of gimme, gimme, gimme? More than one well will run dry unless we have a new mayor and city council members who step off cloud nine and return to reality.
Of course thanks to Rachel Murdoch the little children of Sedona no longer have an Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Bunny, Christmas Trees, or Santa Claus for that matter since there will no longer be Christmas Stockings hung at the fireplace for Santa to leave Christmas Gifts because Ms. Murdoch doesn’t think it’s politically correct and she is above reproach. And just who is the hateful one here? Not I. Not others who consider this Splash Pad an excessive expenditure. And certainly not the little children who will probably have more fun running on the soft grass than a few seconds of sprayed water on a concrete surface.
Very good point, Eddie —>
$269,000.00 to build the Splash Park, 330,000 gallons a month of non-recycled water just flushed down the drain. All to have the July focus being that of sprinklers on the lawn?!?!? ….and over the top, the City is going to “rent” the Slip and Slide?
All that for an age demographic that encompasses a mere 3% of the 10,000 people that reside in Sedona?
Meanwhile, Sedona homeowners can look forward to increased sewer fees.
I guess its true, in order for the City to keep collecting money they must spend it all in order to justify their collecting more.
Seems to be more and more justification for a No vote on Home Rule.
@ Kano
Please bring Your watch on Your next bike trip and let Us know if We’re wrong on the timing of the water in the Splash Park?
@ E. Maddock
Thank You for the correction of the month. I misread July for June.
Blah Blah Blah…….
“Blah, Blah, Blah . . . Kano”
Are you sure your true name isn’t Rachel or maybe Jennifer?
Apparently you spent too much time indulging in pleasures of your own childhood because you certainly lack in writing skills (grammar, spelling . . . ever heard of such things?). Your ignorance is apparent in more ways than one.
“SILENCE is the best reply to a FOOL.”
fb/Amazing.Quote 4u
30 July 2013 9:40 PM
With the help of our organization and other community donors, a new splash park opened this month in Sedona, AZ. This project especially benefits children with special needs who are not able to play in bodies of water like other children.
The park was designed to keep children safe by having zero-depth water accumulation. The 1,900 square foot splash park is spacious, and features eight ground sprays and five above-ground spray features that are all timer activated.