Cottonwood Community Services Director Jak Teel gave a presentation on the Parks and Recreation Department’s master plan during the Oct. 24 Community Awareness Group meeting.
A master plan is a long-term planning document that guides future growth and directs the priorities of a department in accordance with the city’s strategic plan.
The Parks and Recreation master plan was completed in 2020 and was funded by the Arizona Department of Housing through a Community Development Block Grant.
Teel explained that the planning process involved understanding what services were provided to residents, what the goals and priorities of residents were and how to invest strategically. As part of the process, 14 community engagement meetings were held and surveys were distributed.
Staff found during the community engagement meetings that the community wanted to invest in infrastructure and maintain it. In line with this, Parks and Recreation recently undertook facility upgrades at the Recreation Center and at the playground at Cottonwood Kids’ Park. Teel said that the playground was the greatest accomplishment because members of the community came together to help build it and lay down wood chips.
Teel added that Parks and Recreation is focusing on trail connectivity. The department has completed phase 1 of the Riverfront Park Loop Trail, which runs from Riverfront Park west of 10th Street to Old Town. Upcoming projects include phase 2 of the Riverfront Park Loop Trail, which will expand the trail from the east side of 10th Street and eventually connect it to the Jail Trail system. The city has funding for the project but is waiting on staff availability to begin it. The Cliff Rose trail connects to Sedona and the city is currently working on a trail from Mingus to Sedona.
“One of the main things Cottonwood lacks is open green space for kids to play,” Teel said. Another upcoming project is the planning and design phase for an outdoor green space at Riverfront Park. The department also plans on maintaining infrastructure on the skate park.
Teel also explained how to navigate the Parks and Recreation website, which he described as a great resource for finding trails and bikeways that many residents don’t know exists. The interactive map has layers that can be added or removed, showing things like bike lanes. He recommended residents follow the Parks and Recreation Facebook page for the most recent updates on news and events.
Teel mentioned that Joe Sulfaro, the department’s parks, trails and community enrichment coordinator, leads Jail Trail interpretive hikes on the first Friday of every month at 10 a.m. The hikes are free and no registration is required. Each hike lasts around 20 to 30 minutes and Sulfaro discusses local history, ecology and hydrology during the hike.
The Cottonwood Community Awareness Group meets every fourth Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Cottonwood Public Library. Members of city staff and council are available to have discussions with residents.
