Why it is Worth Improving the Neighborhood Gem
Sue Hutchison
Member of Desert Ridge Parents Group
For those not familiar with the neighborhood park located in Desert Ridge, Cashman Park was established over fifteen years ago. Owned and maintained by the City of Phoenix, this heavily utilized park has never been updated. City budgets for park upgrades were eliminated before Cashman Park could be remodeled. Damaged equipment and seating has been removed, rather than repaired or replaced. As a result, our beautiful Desert Ridge community hosts an aging public park with outdated play structures, dilapidated picnic areas, rustic restrooms, sparse landscaping, limited shade, poor lighting, municipal signage and only one bench near the playground. While the Aviano and Fireside communities have attractive private parks installed and maintained by builders and sub-associations, the rest of the Desert Ridge community enjoys a simple public park.
For those who do not believe Cashman Park is regularly used, stop by the basketball courts any early morning or evening to see dozens of adults and youth shooting hoops. Enjoy the sight of residents and their dogs cavorting in the grass. See the tiny tots with sand shovels and parents pushing strollers. Watch for families hosting barbeques and birthdays. Notice the school kids at the park for energetic play before and after class. Even spy those teens, out for an evening walk. Oh, and the soccer fields? They are full to capacity on Saturdays, and every night during fall, winter and spring with local teams practicing and competing. This neighborhood park is hopping!
The Desert Ridge Parents Group (DRPG) regularly utilizes Cashman Park to host club activities including playgroups, crafts, festivals, presentations and community service projects. In fact, many members believe the park to be the “heart” of DRPG, having joined the group through contacts made at Cashman! This park is a positive force in our community, bringing people together for healthy outdoor recreation and hours of free entertainment close to home. A freshly upgraded park will ensure a safe place for our children to play for generations to come.
The Desert Ridge Parents Group supports the Cashman Park upgrade! Specifically, some of the changes the group would like addressed are: improved playground structures, additional seating and shade, updated restrooms, repaired picnic areas, enhanced park lighting, exercise stations, height-adjustable basketball hoops to accommodate smaller players, and additional parking spaces. Improvements, not reductions, in the basketball and volleyball courts would be welcomed. Finally, installing monument signage similar to our community entrances would greatly enhance the park’s appearance and value
as a community asset.
Would Desert Ridge residents without children benefit from park improvements? Yes! Whether or not you personally use the park, well-maintained parks play a role in increasing real estate values. Clean, well-maintained parks with desirable amenities will attract new residents to a community, also potentially raising property values by increasing demand for area homes. An unused, empty park is a breeding ground for crime, while beautiful parks draw people and build communities. The proposed modifications to the park could be designed and installed without causing incremental future maintenance expense to be incurred by the HOA or the city. Yes, this expense may sound like making a donation to the city, but it is truly an investment in maintaining the integrity
of our Desert Ridge community.
If you would like to include a future article for the Cashman Park Forum, please email your article to desertridge@rossmar.com
