The trailhead at the top of Adero Canyon in our Town is becoming a reality after almost 15 years of planning. Our trailhead will include a 50-car destination parking lot, picnic tables, gazebo, restrooms and the entrance to the Fountain Hills Preserve.

The Preserve is about 1,000 acres on the west side of town. To give some perspective on its size, our town – including the preserve – is about 14,000 acres and the town lake is about 35 acres. The preserve and its trailhead is an important part of our town.

Town voters approved a bond in 1997. With that bond, plus sales tax revenue, the preserve land was purchased. That bond has been paid in full. ln addition, the town instituted a development fee that raised about $1.8 million to pay for the bulk of the trailhead construction costs. The trailhead is anticipated to be completed this year. The $1.8 million must be used only for the trailhead construction by 2020 or the town would lose all of those monies. That would be a very poor occurrence if the town allowed that to happen.

With completion of the trailhead, town citizens will finally have excellent access to the Fountain Hills Preserve. One can step out of their car in the trailhead and walk 50 feet or many miles. With eight miles of trails that have been built by town volunteer trailblazers, the preserve, with the trailhead, is a wonderful asset for our town.

The ambiance, with no development on that desert, the mountain views to the west, the exercise from walking on the trails, the educational benefits, the economic lift and many other positive characteristics make our Fountain Hills Preserve and the trailhead a great addition to the town.

The citizens of Fountain Hills recognized the value to our town in the past by voting yes on approving funds for the preserve and I anticipate the Fountain Hills citizens will again support our town with a positive vote on the proposed primary property tax. Preserve our preserve and our great town.

I believe our citizens and guests will immensely enjoy and benefit from the preserve and the Adero Canyon trailhead. This is money well invested.