By Kevin Reagan
Staff Writer
Chandler’s biggest park soon will expand and add new amenities.
Construction is scheduled to commence next month on four new sports fields on the western side of Tumbleweed Park, near Germann and McQueen roads.
The City Council allocated more than $4 million for the project at its July 11 meeting.
Residents responded to a city survey by saying they wanted more fields, so the Community Services Department complied by developing 20 acres west of Hamilton Street.
The lighted fields will be completed by next July and will serve a multi-use function for sports clubs in Chandler needing space to practice. Additional parking spaces, bathrooms and sidewalks will accompany the new fields.
Mickey Ohland, the city’s park operations manager, said Tumbleweed serves as the regional recreational hub for Chandler and attracts many residents.
“Tumbleweed Park is our crown jewel park for the city,” he said. “It’s been designed such to attract and be able to have those large events.”
The Ostrich Festival, Fourth of July celebrations, and Chuck Wagon Cook-Off Challenge all call Tumbleweed home, generating much foot-traffic throughout the year.
The parks department will also be adding a bocce court in the center of Tumbleweed. Bocce is an Italian ball sport involving players competing to earn points by rolling balls across a long court.
The 205-acre park still has two large parcels of undeveloped land on its northern and southern ends.
Ohland said the city doesn’t have any set plans for these sections, but his department will spend the next year examining the needs at all 67 of Chandler’s parks.
This strategic master plan will guide city staff in determining which parks need any renovations or additions.
The Tumbleweed contracts authorized by the City Council consist of $4 million for construction, $325,000 for management services, and $658,000 for light installations.
At a recent council meeting, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke said he was pleased to see the city utilizing resources to add amenities to Tumbleweed Park.
“This is a very exciting piece for our residents to be able to have some new amenities,” the mayor said.
Ohland said Tumbleweed has always been a unique attraction in Chandler and the parks department is excited to continue making it more accessible to residents.
“We’re very lucky and blessed to live and work in a community such as Chandler where our residents, our elected officials all place a high importance on quality-of-life issues,” Ohland added.
