Community Announcement & Update
Reginald Younger, Jr.
Cashman Park Exploratory Committee
(CPEC) Chair
Dear Residents,
It’s official… The Desert Ridge Community Association and City of Phoenix formally executed the Cashman Park Development Agreement with the official signing on April 15, 2014. This landmark, first of its kind agreement, allowing the upgrade of a City of Phoenix public park with private funds from a community association, creates a very unique partnership that enables us to now advance the Cashman Park Improvements envisioned for our community park.
The Desert Ridge Community Association began the Cashman Park improvement process approximately three years ago when interested parents and homeowners within the Desert Ridge community came to the Board of Directors to discuss the need to upgrade the local neighborhood park. An ad hoc exploratory committee was chartered by the Desert Ridge Community Association to research and determine the feasibility of a private/public partnership with the City of Phoenix approval to enhance the park through the City of Phoenix Adopt-A-Park Program. The Desert Ridge Community Association received approval to fund the restoration of the now 18 year old Cashman Park located on 10 acres in the heart of the Desert Ridge community, to upgrade the park with new amenities which will include new playground equipment, a fitness obstacle course, enhanced landscaping, new ramada areas, reorientation of the volleyball courts, resurfaced basketball courts, additional park benches, retrofitting the irrigation system components, installation of additional shade structures, paint maintenance of existing park facilities, and more.
As the current CPEC Chair, I would like to applaud our association members who approved the $500K funding, my previous Committee Chair predecessors, current and past Committee Members, our Board of Directors and Association’s Management team for being instrumental in helping to bring this community initiative and our vision for Cashman Park Improvements to fruition.
I also would like to thank all of our community partners from AAA Landscape, The McGough Group, Sunland Asphalt, FirstService Residential and the City of Phoenix that have been key supporters, contributors and sponsors throughout this endeavor and arduous process for remaining steadfast in their commitment to seeing the Cashman Park Improvements through for the betterment of our community.
Additionally, I would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude to each of our community partners that have pledged their additional support towards the Cashman Park Improvements. FirstService Residential pledged $10,000 towards the proposed Cashman Park improvements. Sunland Asphalt pledged to make asphalt repairs, asphalt and re-stripe the Cashman Park Parking lot valued at $6,400, at no charge to the association. AAA Landscape for not only reducing their bid costs to ensure that the park improvements stayed within the approved budget, but also for pledging to pay 50% of the cost to install a “Cashman Park at Desert Ridge” monument at the park entrance that will include the “City of Phoenix” symbolic bird etched on the monument, valued between $15,000 and $20,000. CertaPro Painting for recently painting all the APS light poles within Cashman Park at no cost to the City of Phoenix. The McGough Group for providing periodic complimentary consultant services over the past three (3) years, at no charge to Desert Ridge.
In addition, the Cashman Park Exploratory Committee (CPEC) has already commenced fundraising efforts with our community stakeholders and other interested sponsors and supporters. It is our goal to raise in excess of $100K to offset the capital expenses for this project. A “Friends of Cashman Park Improvements” fund has been established through the “Phoenix Parks and Conservation Foundation” by the Desert Ridge Community Association. If you are interested in making a donation, please make sure to make your check payable to the “Phoenix Parks and Conservation Foundation”, to the attention of “Friends of Cashman Park Improvements” and mail to: Phoenix Parks and Conservation Foundation Attn: Friends of Cashman Park Improvement Fund 2700 N. 15th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85007.
One of the park offerings that will be available for purchase by our residents and public park users will be personalize engraved pavers. We plan to offer the personalized engraved pavers at a very nominal unit price. We encourage each household in Desert Ridge to purchase and have installed a personalized engraved paver in Cashman Park as a symbolic record of your family involvement and support of the Cashman Park Improvements. Information and details for purchasing a personalized engraved paver will be made available soon via email and the community website at www.desertridgelifestyles.com.
Construction of the Cashman Park improvements started on May 27, 2014 and is tentatively scheduled to be completed by late July 2014, based on an anticipated 7-9 weeks construction period. Although efforts will be focused on keeping Cashman Park open during construction and throughout the summer, there will be some park amenities and areas restricted and/or closed for use during the park construction period and until Cashman Park is officially re-opened. In this regard, we respectfully request that our members and the public please refrain from accessing areas within the park that are fenced off and/or posted for closure. The Desert Ridge Community Association will host a Cashman Park Grand Re-Opening Ceremony after the park improvements have been approved and accepted by the City of Phoenix. An official notice announcing the “Cashman Park Grand Re-Opening Ceremony” will be sent to our members, community partners, the public, City of Phoenix and others.
We are extremely excited that the Cashman Park Improvements are underway and that our community park renovations will be completed by the end of this summer. We are also very thankful for our association members and to so many others that made what started as a possibility…developed intoa conceptual vision…and is soon to become a reality that the Board of Directors believe will improve the Desert Ridge Lifestyle for many years into the future.
