I'm in Phoenix this week for my new novel, The Night Detectives (you can find a schedule of signings on my author Web site). One remarkable thing is how the conversations I have with friends never really change much when it comes to the topic of Phoenix and Arizona. Searching for something new...an effort is under way to produce a "new master plan" for Margaret Hance Park.
The site irritates me at the outset by claiming Hance Park is located "in the heart of down downtown Phoenix," whatever that means. It is in Midtown, a deck sitting atop the Papago Freeway from Third Street to Third Avenue. All together now: Downtown runs from the railroad tracks to Fillmore and from Seventh Avenue to Seventh Street. One could be very liberal and extend it to Roosevelt — no farther. You outlanders would be offended if I said the Loop in Chicago extended to Winnetka; you don't get to rewrite the geography of my hometown.
In any event, the deck park was the compromise when Interstate 10 was rammed through the heart of Phoenix, resulting in the demolition of 3,000 houses, many of them irreplaceable historic homes, as well as the shady Moreland Parkway. Originally, the Wilbur Smith plan called for the freeway to soar 100 feet over Central Avenue and traffic to exit by "helicoils" winding down to Third Avenue and Third Street. So things could have been much worse
An April letter concerning the 32-acre park called it "a compelling site for a new vision" with its central location, light rail station (WBIYB) and closeness to the central library, museums and other attractions. It continues, "Through history, from Barcelona, Paris, London and Mexico City to the parks of the late 19th century work of American Fredrick Olmstead (sic), to the 21st century landmark parks of Chicago's Millennium Park and New York's High Line, parks have defined cities. Great cities have great parks, and great parks make great cities! It is Phoenix's time."
Past time, really. Back in the late 1990s, Phoenix had big hopes for Steele Indian School Park, which was hyped as "a new Central Park." Today, it's a pitiful expanse of sun-blasted grass and concrete, with private interests holding the empty land that boxes it in on Central and Indian School. The whole deal is suspicious — oh for a press curious about something other than those horrid public employees with their communist pensions. Why the federal government didn't simply hand the entire parcel over to the city for a dollar when it closed the Phoenix Indian School only makes the tragedy seem more like a real-estate hustle gone bad.
To be sure, Phoenix lives off the legacy of previous stewards who created Encanto Park, South Mountain Park and Papago Park. These are always at risk, as when scores of old trees were lost to a storm at Encanto (did the city plant new ones?). As for Hance Park, it could have been worse. At least the city didn't throw down the densely packed rocks that have become its signature "landscaping." The future is challenging because of tight city budgets — Your Tax Cuts at Work — a City Council that is indifferent-to-hostile concerning the central core, and lack of wealthy stewards of the kind that bankrolled Chicago's Millennium Park.
If I were a billionaire, I would lean on ADOT to extend the park all the way to Seventh Street and Seventh Avenue. One can dream.
Three goals are within reach.
First, the park needs an abundance of shade trees, as well as keeping the grass it has. This is the oasis part of the city, so going desert is ahistorical and a great way to drive people away. Its model should be Encanto Park. The Arizona ash, acacia, mesquite and cottonwood are all fairly drought-tolerant. But remember, this is the soil of the Salt River Valley. Anything grows here provided it has water. Ficus trees are great, too. Investing water to create an oasis of shade trees in the heart of the city is far better than using it for another housing racket out on the fringes. Shade is essential.
Second, the park requires a visible, 24/7 police or park ranger presence. The white-right apartheid suburbs like Phoenix as a dumping ground for the homeless, the hardcore street people and petty crime. It shouldn't intrude in the park. Also, Phoenicians don't have urban sensibilities, so the appearance of safety will be important in getting them to patronize the park.
Third, rename it. Margaret Hance left a complicated legacy as mayor of Phoenix and she still has plenty of friends. She grew up in what is now Willo and attended Kenilworth School (as did Barry Goldwater, Paul Fannin and Homey). But as mayor Hance was no friend of the central city. Indeed, she presided over the death of downtown and unconscionable damage to the central city. Name a road after her in Arcadia, but not this park.
Others will have plenty of good ideas. Do study best practices elsewhere, especially the park designs of Frederick Law Olmsted. Remember Daniel Burnham: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work." I hope they go somewhere. But don't forget the essentials: Shade and grass; visible safety, and a name that honors a true central city steward.
Love it. Rename Hance Park? Sounds good to me if she was no help to Downtown.
Posted by: LeftCoastDood | May 14, 2013 at 12:25 PM
A huge difference between Encanto Park and Hance Park is that Encanto has flood irrigation, a left-over from its agricultural roots. Meanwhile, the tunnel has water leaks that make Hance Park a work in progress. ADOT is holding up a certain amount of planning and development of the park by the future work on this leak.
Most of the great WPA work done for Encanto has been either tossed or relegated to "back of the house" status. Can't say if they planted new trees at Encanto after that horrible storm, but those were very old trees and it's hard to replace that. I do know they took out the bamboo that used to grow next to 15th Avenue.
Posted by: Steve Weiss | May 14, 2013 at 01:13 PM
Deck Park (easy to pronounce, easy to remember) feels unloved because, well, it's in Phoenix. There aren't that many people living close to it, so the homeless really stand out. If the much-touted urban renaissance in the Roosevelt neighborhood takes off, that may change. It has probably the greatest park amenity in all Phoenix: the Japanese Friendship Garden. But the dominant vibe is one of forlorn disrepair. It's too hot in the summer, trees have a tough time growing there, and the water features are disabled.
A great city park (say Bryant Park in NYC) doesn't have to be big. It does require human beings in such numbers that people watching becomes a pleasurable activity. When Deck Park was finished in 1991, downtown was struggling through an early iteration of Lollapalooza (Arizona Center, America West Arena). Deck Park was too distant to really "synergize" with them, and it quickly became an afterthought although the Burton Barr Central Library manifested a few intrepid lawn rangers when it opened in 1995.
I want to defend this awkward child as an act of improbable hope. $80 million was a lot to spend on the decking over I-10, and it's hard to imagine finding that kind of money today. The vistas from Kenilworth to the downtown high rises can be lovely. It undulates nicely instead of lying flat-faced on the ground like Steele Park. If it's more costume jewelry than a real gem, that's because midwifing a city is a lot harder than we thought it would be 30 years ago. As anemic as downtown Phoenix is, Deck Park still kindles hope that we might eventually show up someday. A few today, more tomorrow, and maybe as a real city in the coming years.
Posted by: soleri | May 14, 2013 at 02:42 PM
No surprise that the state most severely lacking in urban parks and park maintenance is Republican rich redneck strong Texas.
What do the Billy Bobs do with all the oil revenue?
Posted by: northern light | May 14, 2013 at 04:44 PM
You might be surprised to learn that they have replanted, and continue to replant, trees at Encanto Park. Just this April they replanted 18 trees. If I am not mistaken, the trees lost in the storm in 2008 (?) have been replaced and the new trees exceed the number that previously existed. Encanto Park is also getting upgraded ramadas and new tennis, volleyball, racquetball, and basketball courts. Work is expected to be completed June 2014.
Posted by: phxSUNSfan | May 14, 2013 at 06:45 PM
I have three words. Shade, Shade, Shade. A foreign concept in the valley of the sun.
It looks like there are problems with the structure. They may not be able to plant trees.
http://downtowndevil.com/2012/12/17/37131/hance-park-redevelopment-master-plan/
Posted by: stephen | May 15, 2013 at 09:57 AM
Hey Jon ... enjoyed hearing you on KJZZ today. Come back down south any time. From Carol Jennings, now living in Tempe
Posted by: Carol Jennings | May 15, 2013 at 12:57 PM
KJZZ treats Jon with great respect. Maybe one of the TV channels will follow suit when he's in town.
Posted by: morecleanair | May 15, 2013 at 06:57 PM
U all missed out on the free food and great speech by Jon last night at Teritos formerly Urban Bean.
Posted by: cal Lash | May 16, 2013 at 09:46 AM
Parts of the deck park are on land, and can handle planting trees. The true deck part could have tree planters installed above ground, with benches around the shady tree.
Posted by: Rogue Columnist | May 17, 2013 at 11:33 AM
The Night Detectives accessible with Kindle Fire?
Posted by: Homeless | May 17, 2013 at 06:07 PM
The park is an oven within a bigger oven. Cement and 50's bomb shelter ambiance. It is a better match for North Scottsdale.
Posted by: Arizona lifer | May 17, 2013 at 06:21 PM
It's available on Kindle.
Posted by: Rogue Columnist | May 17, 2013 at 09:41 PM
can u smell the paper and ink on a kindle?
Posted by: cal Lash | May 18, 2013 at 08:03 AM
I think "West Valley Mayors" have been reading Rogue. They wrote in a recent article in the Republic: "While we each have brands as cities within Greater Phoenix, marketing ourselves separately outside of Arizona as individual cities - or East Valley or the West Valley - is not advantageous for Arizona." Included in the story is an editor's note that reads: "Recently, East Valley Partnership decided to rebrand itself after a study found that not many people across the country could identify the East Valley - they could identify only Phoenix." I would say by extension, not many recognize "The Valley" as representative of metro Phoenix. Looks like these groups will start emphasizing "greater Phoenix". It's time to start calling the area just Phoenix...
http://www.azcentral.com/insiders/westvalleyeditorials/2013/05/17/mayors-lets-work-together-under-greater-phoenix-brand/
Posted by: phxSUNSfan | May 19, 2013 at 12:00 AM