This past year was a banner year for Town of Fountain Hills Community Services, as it brought home the Gold Medal as the top Parks and Recreation department in the country for communities with a population of 30,000 or less.

The recognition by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration and the National Recreation and Parks Association was announced during the association’s annual conference held in Phoenix in September. The Town was recognized as a Gold Medal Finalist in 2021 but fell short of claiming the crown on that first time as a finalist.

The National Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are categorized into six classes, five based on population and one for armed forces.

The Fountain Hills Community Services Department oversees and works collaboratively with many community organizations in maintaining and providing services with Town parks, trails, Community Center, parks and recreation, community arts programs, volunteers, special events, Home Delivered Meals and more.

The department management team includes Deputy Town Manager/Community Services Director Rachael Goodwin, Parks Superintendent Kevin Snipes, Recreation Manager Linda Ayres and Community Center Manager Jennifer Lyons. They work with a full-time staff of 17. In a community of 24,000 population, they oversee five parks with more than 125 acres of active space, two trailheads within 822 acres of preserved open space, a 30,000 square-foot Community Center and one world famous fountain.

Projects for 2022

During 2022 the Parks Department completed two major projects to upgrade local amenities. The 15-year-old Rotary Centennial Splash Pad was renovated over the winter of 2021-22 and opened with a ceremony on May 26.

Due to the widespread popularity of the splash pad, staff recommended to the Town Council an increase to the size of the play area to create zones for age-appropriate play. Some fun new attractions include the Mega Soaker and Sneaky Soaker water buckets, Custom Cool Trane, Geyser, Tidal Wave, Froggie-O, Tidal Wave, and more than 30 water features.

Additionally, the Town replaced playground equipment at Fountain Park. During 2021 the equipment for younger kids was replaced due to damage to the aging equipment. That was followed by an upgrade to the playground for older children, up to age 12.

Goodwin said with Fountain Park being the town’s “flagship” park, it receives the most traffic, including out-of-town visitors.

She said the existing equipment at 15 years old was showing signs of extreme wear with failures beginning to occur.

The total replacement and expansion of the play space was undertaken to create a new and attractive destination playground within Fountain Park.

The new equipment features a 30-foot climbing tower, which may be the first of its kind in the U.S., according to Goodwin.

Bad news

Over the summer during 2021 the Town invested about $800,000 in improvements to the Community Center which included new carpeting and flooring inside the facility as well as interior painting and renovations of the restrooms.

During the course of a wet summer when the work was ongoing, it was discovered that significant water was infiltrating the building and causing damage.

This past year staff reviewed the issues and hired a consultant to investigate and make recommendations for long-term repairs to the facility.

That consultant made recommendations and work began right away to address immediate concerns and prepare a plan for repairs. Council members raised concerns about potential mold and mildew and possible health effects to users of the facility. That was the first thing investigated, abated and repaired.

They also began a process to reseal windows and door sills in the building, which will be spray tested as work progresses. They are also addressing drainage concerns around the perimeter of the building.

In November the council was told that long-term repairs to the building could take until 2028 and cost $3 million to $4 million if all doors and windows need to be replaced. That will be determined as ongoing repairs are tested.