View the gallery below for a photo summary of Marana Founders’ Day 2022.
PHOTO GALLERY: Marana Fall Festival 2021
Second Marana Macro Machines a hit + photo gallery
On Friday, April 12, the Town of Marana held their second Marana Macro Machines event. The event allowed people to get up close and personal with the machines that help Marana Town Staff and their community partners do their jobs to make Marana a great.
This event featured departments and divisions from the Town including Streets, Traffic, Facilities, Fleet, Pavement Preservation, Engineering, Police, Water, Animal Services, and Parks and Recreation. Additionally Northwest Fire, the National Weather Service, the Air National Guard, and several contractors were also on hand.
“This is a great way for our employees to interact with the public and show them what they do,” said Marana Public Works Deputy Director Fausto Burrell.
“The kids really love seeing all of the equipment we use to keep the parks looking great, and their parents love seeing all of the tools we use every day,” said Marana Parks Superintendent David Herman. “I’ve had a lot of questions from some dads about the battery powered chainsaw that we use.”
Marana Macro Machines was held at Marana Heritage River Park and was attended by students from area schools as part of a field trip opportunity, as well as a number of residents.
Founders' Day Photos and Parade Video
This weekend’s Marana Founders’ Day was a huge success. Great crowds turned out for the parade and all the festivities at the Marana Municipal Complex. Relive the event with full video coverage of the parade and a great photo gallery.
Photos by JD Fitzgerald
Egg Nog Jog kicks off a year of great races + Photo Gallery
Every year the Town of Marana kicks of the new year with their January 1st Egg Nog Jog, and every year the Town’s Parks and Recreation Department invites residents to #RunMarana.
The Town offers a variety of ways to run and hike. Whether you like 10Ks, fun runs, or running on the trails, Marana has a race for you.
The Egg Nog Jog is just one of three holiday themed races. May will bring the Mother’s Day 5k and Fun Run, while next November will see the Town host the next installment of the Turkey Trot.
This year we are adding a few new events to the slate. On March 9 Marana will host the first Cape Chase, which the first of its kind Superhero Adaptive fun run. This is a race for anyone and everyone who is ready to reveal their secret identities and conquer our course full of obstacles.
On May 9 the first Marana Meltdown will take place. The Meltdown is a Mountain Bike Time Trial on the Tortolita Preserve.
In addition to the races, there are other great opportunities to take in the great trails in Marana. There are monthly guided hikes and horseback rides and on March 2 the MOVE Across 2 Ranges, where hikers are invited to hit the trails and experience the challenge and beauty of Southern Arizona's premier hiking destinations in the Tortolita and Catalina Mountains all in one day.
For more information on these and all of the Marana Parks and Recreation events and activities CLICK HERE.
Splash Pad grand opening photo gallery
On Thursday, August 30 the Marana Parks and Recreation held a grand opening ceremony for the new splash pad at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park. The splash pad is the second in the Town of Marana, joining the one at Marana Heritage River Park in North Marana.
View photos from the event:
Kids To Park Day a fun introduction to Tangerine Sky Park
On Saturday morning, August 25, over 400 Marana residents came out to enjoy the festivities of “Kids to Park Day” at the Town of Marana's new Tangerine Sky Park. Marana Parks and Recreation staff along with key traffic control assistance from Marana Police personnel, provided families with a fun, safe, positive experience.
Children enjoyed a wide variety of exhilarating and entertaining activities from field games, face painting, large inflatable slides, balloon twist and of course the outstanding new playgrounds and Zip Line. As an extra bonus the first 100 Kids enjoyed a free snow cone.
Feedback from those attending this first time event was both positive and appreciative that the Town provides these type of family orientated community events.
Tangerine Sky Community Park opened on August 10 and is the largest park in Northeast Marana. The 17-acre park located just south of Tangerine Road near Dove Mountain Road has two dog parks and two playgrounds. The playgrounds are designed for children of different ages, one for preschoolers and the other for older kids. One of the features unique to the area will be a zipline-themed swing that will travel a length of 30-feet.
Other features include a lighted basketball court, ramadas, a perimeter walking path with connectivity to the multi-use path on Tangerine, as well as connections to the Tangerine Sky neighborhood.
Marana Parks and Recreation will be hosting a grand opening ceremony for the new splash pad at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park on Thursday, August 30 at 9 a.m.
Photo Gallery: Star Spangled Spectacular
On Wednesday, July 4, the Town of Marana held their annual Star Spangled Spectacular. Nearly 17,000 people attended the free event that included a kids' area with inflatables, five bands, food trucks, and of course, fireworks.
Relive the evening with this photo gallery by J.D. Fitzgerald Photography.
Marana Macro Machines: educational and fun
The Town of Marana capped off Public Works Week 2018 with the first Marana Macro Machines event. Upwards of 1,000 people showed up to Marana Heritage River Park to check out all of the vehicles from Public Works, Police, Northwest Fire District, and more:
- Public Works provided vehicles, demonstrations, and a few giveaways.
- The Public Works Department had a wide variety of vehicles including a motor grader, a dump truck, a wheel loader, a drum roller, and more.
- They gave children a hands on demonstration on how they locate and mark pipes, gas lines, and power lines underground.
- They handed out free flowers, ice pops, and plastic hard hats.
- The Marana Police Department provided vehicles, demonstrations, and music.
- Among the vehicles on hand were patrol cars, motorcycles, and SUV's. Children were allowed to explore the police vehicles, including turning on flashers and talking into the radio.
- Pima Regional SWAT had their armored vehicle on hand as well, and children were allowed to climb in that vehicle as well.
- The Marana Police Explorers, teens learning about law enforcement, conducted a simulated traffic stop.
- Traffic Engineering and Traffic Operations provided displays and presentations.
- Among the displays were information on traffic signals, traffic control plans, roundabouts, and traffic signs.
- They handed out stickers made from the same reflective material that is used on stop signs to make them visible at night.
- The Marana Water Department provided the water purification display vehicle.
- The vehicle opens up to show all of the various filtration and purification processes including chlorine disinfection, granular activated carbon, UV/advanced oxidation, reverse osmosis, and ultrafiltration.
- Animal Services and the Humane Society showcased some adorable puppies, as well as displays on their services.
- The Marana Regional Airport had a table where they educated people about the facility, and helped organize the helicopter landing from one of their tenants. The helicopter landed on the street in front of the park, and then was opened up to allow children to sit inside.
- Northwest Fire DIstrict brought out a fire truck, while the NW Fire Local 3572 grilled up hotdogs and hamburgers.
- Thanks to Parks and Recreation for making sure Marana Heritage River Park looked great and showcased their community garden and event spaces.
- Credit also goes to the City of Tucson, the National Weather Service, and Pima Regional SWAT.
Sneak Preview Photo Gallery: Tangerine Sky playground
Construction has gone vertical at Tangerine Sky Park. Located just south of Tangerine road, between Camino de Oeste and Camino de Manana, Marana’s newest park project will be the largest park in east Marana.
The project is due to be completed later this summer. The park will feature a play area, a basketball court, a large turf area, two dog parks and several ramadas, as well as access to the neighboring trail system.
The location of the park is conveniently located near both Dove Mountain and the Twin Peaks Corridor, benefiting a wide array of visitors. The Town of Marana recently wrapped up their portion of the project to widen Tangerine Road between Dove Mountain Blvd and La Cholla Drive. As part of this project, a shared-use path will allow cyclists, walkers, joggers, and any other non-motorized users to enjoy a car-free pathway. Tangerine Sky Community Park, when complete, will serve as an ideal trailhead for this route.
Work is currently being done on installing the play area equipment. See the images below to get a sneak peek at all of the fun.
Marana Founders' Day Parade Awards
The centerpiece of Marana Founders’ Day is the annual parade. This year’s parade made its way down a new route that included a trip down Main Street past MHC Healthcare and the Marana Municipal Complex.
The parade had over 90 entries including a marching band, vintage and new corvettes, horseback riders, and floats. This year’s theme was “Float Through Time” and the parade judges voted on awards in three categories.
Best Spirit: Marana Unified School District
MUSD came out in force, with students, teachers, administrators, and staff from all of their schools. Their entry “Floating Toward the Future” included foil covered letters, cardboard rocket ships, signs for every school, and even two people clad in green body suits. The MUSD representatives walked and rode, giving them one of the biggest entries in the parade.
Best Use of Theme: Marana Dental Care
Marana Dental Care earned high marks for their float which had a farm motif. Their float had a great attention to detail including kids in costume, a cardboard tractor and barn, hay, and a bandana pattern trim.
Judges’ Pick: Northwest Outriders
The Northwest Outriders 4H club had one of the longest floats with not one, but two flat beds. One contained a some of the animals that they raise, including goats and calves. The second had members of all ages sitting on hay bales and waving to the crowd.
Project Ina Photo Gallery
This week marked the 1-year anniversary of the start of the Ina Interchange Project construction. A lot has been done in those 12 months and Arizona Department of Transportation photographers came out earlier this month to capture some of the progress that the project has undergone.
With the completion of this project, Ina Road will become elevated and pass over I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad. The existing frontage roads and ramps will require reconstruction to intersect with the crossroad in its reconstructed (elevated) position.
The project includes two-lane, one-way frontage roads along each side of I-10 and necessary crossroad widening at the frontage road intersections and eliminate the existing at-grade railroad crossings of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks at Ina Road.
As part of the project the bridge over the Santa Cruz on Ina Road will be rebuilt and expanded to four lanes.
Girl Scouts learn water conservation tips
Because we live in the desert, water is a most precious resource. We must all do our part to use water wisely to ensure an adequate and safe supply for future generations. Brownies from troop 70 learned about water conservation and created posters to help us all be wiser in our water usage.
Take 5-minute showers instead of baths. A full bathtub requires up to 70 gallons of water. If your shower fills a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with a WaterSense® labeled model, which can save up to 750 gallons of water a year.
Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save up to 4 gallons a minute. That’s up to 200 gallons a week for a family of four. Plug the sink instead of running the water to rinse your razor and save up to 300 gallons a month.
Be a leak detective! Check all hoses, connectors, and faucets regularly for leaks. One drip every second adds up to five gallons per day! Check your faucets and showerheads for leaks. Have maintenance personnel regularly check your facilities for leaks, drips and other water waste. We’re more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don’t forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses.
Designate one glass for your drinking water each day, or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash. Keep a pitcher of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. This way, every drop goes down you and not the drain.
There are many ways to practice conservation at home. The Marana Water Department web page has helpful tips and links on how to conserve water and save money!
