Marana named one of state's safest driving cities

Town of Marana has been named one of the Top-10 Safest Driving Cities in Arizona by quotewizard.com. Marana was ranked 9th in the state, the highest rated city in Pima County.

Arizona is rated as the 11th safest driving state in the nation. 

The website compiled over 40,000 data points from QuoteWizard users in Arizona on speeding tickets, accidents, DUIs, and other citations in the last year. They then calculated the rate of incidents across each city. Cities with the lowest rate were ranked safest.

“Marana is a town of about 43,000 residents north of Tucson,” noted quotewizard.com in their release. “The town has two neighboring national parks and I-10 running through its center. I-10 is often used as a commuter route for people traveling between Phoenix and Tucson. Luckily, with that heavy use, Marana is improving both the I-10 and Ina Road, which will ease the intersection’s flow of traffic.”

The Town of Marana and the Marana Police Department have a specific strategy to help create safer drivers.

“Our focus at the Marana Police Department is driver education,” said Marana Police Department Public Information Officer Chriswell Scott. “Though the number of traffic stops in recent years has increased, the number of citations issued has deceased. Every traffic stop is an opportunity for our officers to engage the community and encourage safe driving habits through voluntary compliance with traffic laws. The Town of Marana developed the FOCUS safety campaign to educate our residents on the dangers of distracted driving. Thus far, the campaign seems to have had a positive impact on our community.”  

Kingman was rated as the safest driving city in Arizona. Sahuarita was the only other Pima County municipality to crack the top-10, finishing 10th.

Quotewizard.com is a website that specializes in the insurance industry, with an emphasis on letting consumers compare insurance companies’ rates and policies.

Read the full story. 

Marana Gastronomy Tours Season 2

 Discover Marana, the tourism and marketing program of the Town of Marana, is pleased to announce the second year of its gastronomy tour program. “The Marana Gastronomy Tour” and “A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour” explore different aspects of ancient foodways at archaeology sites and wild food flavors through tastings. Featuring ancient foodways experts, archaeologists, master foragers, master brewers, and a Master of French cuisine (Maître Cuisinier de France). 

 “A Taste of the Wild” tours include tastings of Bean Tree Farm prepared wild foods and Catalina Brewing Company and Button Brew House craft beer made with wild foods, and a wild foods walkabout with experts Carolyn Niethammer and Martha Burgess.

“The Marana Gastronomy Tour” includes guided walks at two archaeology sites by Dr. Suzy Fish (later in the season) and Allen Denoyer of Archaeology Southwest, tastings at Catalina Brewing Company, and a small plates tasting at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. The tours are limited to 12-13 people. 

Reservations with Gray Line Arizona are $99 (“A Taste of the Wild”) and $109 (“Marana Gastronomy Tour”) per person. 

“The UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation was given to Tucson because the areas surrounding the Santa Cruz River have the earliest agriculture found in the United States,” said Laura Cortelyou, Tourism and Marketing Manager for the Town of Marana. “These are the only tours where you can experience these ancient cultures at ancient archaeology sites and taste ancient flavors in craft beer and classical French fusion cuisine.” 

Marana is home to wild foods educators, chefs, and craft brewers that responsibly harvest from the 450 edible plants in the Sonoran Desert; as well as farm-to-table restaurant suppliers, BKW Farms that grows White Sonora wheat used in local craft beer and artisanal baking by Barrio Bread, and a number of beekeepers that produce mesquite and wildflower honey. 

According to Jonathan Mabry, Ph.D., President of the Tucson City of Gastronomy nonprofit organization, “The Marana Gastronomy Tour program brings to life this region’s unique ancient history, foodways, and flavors. These are reasons for its 2016 UNESCO Creative City designation, as well as the area’s many food and beverage festivals, food economy, access to biodiverse foods, and more. Sonoran Desert foods have drawn and sustained peoples here continually for more than 10,000 years, creating a culturally layered cuisine.” 

Gray Line Tours Tucson is the tour provider and a third-generation family-owned business that has provided premier tours in, and from, Tucson for more than 100 years. 

“The Marana Gastronomy Tour” and “A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour” are both approved by UNESCO Creative Cities Network member, Tucson City of Gastronomy, the first City of Gastronomy in the U.S.

Scheduled Tour Dates Marana Gastronomy Tour: Thursdays; October 11, November 8, January 24, February 21, and March 21; 12:30 pm - 6:00 pm A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour: Sundays; October 21, November 18, January 6, February 3, March 3, April 7; 9:30 am – 1:30 pm.

Marana Gastronomy Tour Reservations 

For tour reservations visit www.GrayLineArizona.com . 

For tour information visit www.TownOfGastronomy.org . 

Things to do in Marana in October and Beyond

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On The Horizon

Nov 17 - El Tour de Tucson 28-Mile Marana Segment
Dec 1 - Marana Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting
Dec 8 - Dispose-A-Med
Dec 15 - Electronic Recycling Event

Music a focus at the Marana Farm Festival

Drew Cooper

One of the staples of Marana’s signature events is live entertainment and the Marana Farm Festival is no exception. This year the Farm Festival boasts three different live music acts.

After dinner the sun starts to go down and the stage opens up for music and dancing. All ages are welcome in the beer garden (must be 21+ to purchase alcohol) to enjoy the festivities.

6:00 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.
MCMT COMMUNITY CHOIR

This choir consists of residents from around Marana ages 13 and up. It's a free choir that brings the arts to the community in a tangible and fun way. They will be performing several pieces to kick start our live music.

 The choir performed at last year’s event and recently put on their first live musical, a performance of the Wizard of Oz. 

6:45P.M. - 7:15 P.M.
CHRIS GRAEBER

Nashville influenced singer and songwriter Chris Graeber comes by his music naturally, growing up in the rolling hills of the Ozark Mountains in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Chris has brought his music, planted roots and now calls Tucson, Arizona his home.  Chris' soothing voice wins over a crowd immediately, with tones similar to Billy Currington, and Thomas Rhett, but really keeps the crowd’s attention when he explodes into song with rich intense vocals similar to Luke Combs and Justin Moore.

7:30P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
DREW COOPER

 Cooper is an acoustic singer-songwriter who mixes a variety of American music styles citing influences as diverse as Garth Brooks and Bruce Springsteen. 

“Drew is one of those rare performers who can turn anyone who attends one of his concerts into a lifelong fan,” reads the bio on his website. “Drew’s charismatic, smiling, laughing style of entertaining can turn crowds of 12 to 12,000 into enthusiastic, on-your-feet participants in a musical journey that excites and moves people of all ages and backgrounds.”

Cooper likes to say that his music reflects his Midwestern upbringing with “the commitment to country values and strong family bonds.” Musically he takes influence from the artists he listened to as a kid, the Red Dirt scene he discovered in his early 20s and his current home in the Southwest. 

“I've always been a performer, acting, singing, just being an all around attention hog,” Cooper said.  “The more I do it, the more I love it. So far the most exciting musical experience I've had came when I wrote ‘Pictures on The Wall’. I wrote and recorded that song on a Wednesday, posted it online, and on Thursday at a gig I had a stranger come up and request that song! What an amazing feeling. My goal is to have that feeling and effect people that instantly and deeply everyday for the rest of my life. I am blessed to be doing what I love and to be able to share it with you.”

Different departments and divisions make Farm Festival fun

A message from Town of Marana Special Events Coordinator Monique Hagberg.

The days are getting shorter and Fall is in the air. We know what that means. Marana Farm Festival is here, and Town of Marana staff is excited to invite the public to Marana Heritage River Park to enjoy a night of rodeo demonstrations, carnival rides, food, and fun.

Residents, visitors, and businesses alike can enjoy a traditional country fair with top-notch family entertainment that combines Marana’s agricultural and rodeo heritage with carnival attractions. There will be games, rides, great food, rodeo demonstrations, and a mutton bustin’ competition. Enjoy live music, explore the petting zoo, and participate in the pumpkin races. Proceeds from the pumpkin races will benefit the Marana-Foothills Optimist Club. 

There will be free parking and event entry, but fees will apply for vendors throughout the park. This year there will also be a one-dollar charge per carnival ride to help manage over-crowding. Town of Marana staff works hard to create events that are as accessible to the public as possible while maintaining costs and ensuring affordable opportunities.  

The Town of Marana Signature Events series is a multi-departmental endeavor to create unique experiences for the Marana community and includes Marana Founders’ Day, Star Spangled Spectacular, Marana Farm Festival, and Marana Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting. It takes the combined effort of nearly every department to make each event a success. While the public can anticipate interacting with Event and Parks and Recreation staff on event day, there is a tremendous collaborative effort to make things safe and welcoming from behind the scenes.

With anywhere from 3,000 to 17,000 people in one night, there are safety concerns to be considered when designing each event. From security to medical treatment, Marana Police Department and Northwest Fire District work together to ensure public safety.

The event facilities are in top-notch shape due to the combined efforts of Parks and Recreation and Public Works staff. The Traffic Division designs the best setup for getting in and out of the event as well as providing enough available parking, and the Development Services Department works hard to inspect all structures to ensure safety.

The Town’s administration staff is also hard at work making sure all vendors, partners, and contractors are formally processed so the business community can have an engaging presence at Town events.

When all departments come together seamlessly, events are a success. That is once again the goal this weekend for the Marana Farm Festival. 

For more information on Marana Farm Festival and future events, please visit www.MaranaEvents.com. Thank you to our signature event sponsor Core Construction, and additional sponsors Tucson Local Media, Trico Electric Cooperative, Pima County Farm Bureau, 5th Avenue Productions, Red Diamond Rentals, Tucson Kona Ice, Ciao Down, and Post Farms.

See you on the farm!

Marana Farm Festival is this Saturday, Sept 29 from 4-9PM at Marana Heritage River Park.

Ribbon Cutting commemorates completion of Tangerine Corridor Project

On Friday, September 21, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the conclusion of the first phase Tangerine Corridor Project. Officials from the Town of Marana, the Town of Oro Valley, The Regional Transportation Authority, the Pima Association of Governments, and the contractors who worked on the project gathered for a brief ceremony that was concluded with the ceremonial ribbon cutting.

Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta served as the Master of Ceremonies and welcomed everyone to the event before giving a project overview.

Marana Mayor Ed Honea discussed Marana’s involvement with the project as well as the partnership between Marana and Oro Valley on this, and many other, projects.

Oro Valley Mayor Satish Hiremath spoke on behalf of Oro Valley, as well as the Pima Association of Governments, for whom he is the Regional Council Chair.

Andrew Rogers spoke on behalf of the Tangerine Corridor Constructors, which is a partnership between Granite Construction and Borderland Construction.

The Tangerine Road Corridor Project extends approximately 10 miles from Interstate 10 to La Canada Drive and is part of the voter-approved Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) plan. The project widened the road to four lanes, flattened the road, removing the dips and giving it all weather access. The project also included bike lanes, landscaping and a park in the Marana area.

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Photos provided by Town of Oro Valley.

Parks & Recreation sees an increase in summer participation

The Town of Marana Parks and Recreation Department is currently in the midst of their Fall Into Fun + Fitness campaign, but a look back at their Summer 2018 programming shows that public participation was up.

“The hot summer months did nothing to prevent residents from taking part in the great programming we offer,” said Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy. “This is exciting because our staff worked hard to introduce a number of new programs and the public responded to those offerings.”

Dubbed “Soak In Summer Fun” the programming from May to August saw over 2,080 registrations- a 45 percent increase in transactions compared to summer 2017. 

“The recreation team made an initiative to better serve the community by reworking popular programs and introducing new activities that specifically filled programming gaps,” said Recreation Superintendent Corey Larriva.

New programs like horse camps, speed and agility clinics, Boomer Adventure Trips, and Town-led swim lessons filled quickly. Most even had waiting lists. Returning programs like weekly sports clinics, Mini Me Tot Play, and art camps were improved upon and also had increased participation.

As each program concluded, the rec staff solicited feedback through the Town’s survey software. Over 135 surveys were completed and the average program satisfaction rating was 4.5 (out of 5) stars.

Parks and Recreation is excited about the programs being offered this fall. New programs like music lessons, Fitness on the Farm Bootcamp, Red Cross Babysitter Training, and afternoon STREAM classes join familiar favorites like guided hikes, youth and adult sports leagues, and fitness and craft classes to give people a lot of options.

“We really strive to provide something for everyone,” said Conroy. “Whether you are a big time athlete, an aspiring musician, or just want to learn something new, we have a program for you and your family.” 

Browse activities online at: http://www.maranaaz.gov/recreation.

Marana marketing campaign wins national award

MARANA - Town of Marana received national recognition on Thursday, September 6 with an Award of Excellence from the City-County Communications & Marketing Association for the category Photography Single-Image Use.  

The submission, labeled “Abaaa-ndon Sheep!” featured a photograph of a young competitor at the Marana Cotton Festival Mutton Busting competition holding on tightly as their sheep raced through the rodeo arena. The photograph was captured by J.D. Fitzgerald.  

The intended goal of the photograph and ensuing advertising outreach was to grow the Marana Farm Festival, promote the event as a way to celebrate the Town of Marana rodeo and agrarian roots, and to demonstrate how rodeo is not only a key component of farm life but part of the very fabric of Marana’s rich tapestry. 

The Town not only saw the size of the event grow over time, but saw a huge increase in social media interaction in posts using striking, professional images.

“Outstanding entry presentation and image,” the judges wrote.

“We made an effort to use dynamic images in our event marketing and outreach and the community really responded,” said Communications Manager Vic Hathaway. “We saw more comments and shares on our social media posts about the event, and had over 2,000 more views on our on-line photo galleries.”

Mutton busting is one of the most popular features at Marana Farm Festival, with the next event scheduled September 29, 2018. Visit www.MaranaEvents.com for more information.

The Town of Marana also won a Savvy Award for Special Events: One-Time Events from the City-County Communications & Market Association.

JD Fitzgerald is an award-winning photographer and cinematographer based out of Tucson, AZ. For over seven years JD served as a staff photojournalist winning several awards from the Arizona Newspaper Association and the Arizona Press Club. He has also produced many films local artists and advertising for small/medium sized businesses.

His clients include: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Congressman Ron Barber, Town of Marana, Marana Unified School District, Marana Police Department, and Northwest Fire District.

The City-County Communications & Marketing Association announced the 2018 winners of its national Savvy Awards Competition during a ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee in Wisconsin. 

The Savvy Awards, held in conjunction with 3CMA’s Annual Conference, recognize outstanding local government achievements in communications, public-sector marketing and citizen-government relationships. The Savvies salute skilled and effective city, county, agency or district professionals who have creatively planned and carried out successful innovations in communications and marketing. 3CMA accommodates local government organizations of all sizes and budget classes by judging entries in several different population groups.

Home stretch for improvements at I-10 and Ina Road in Marana

As drivers on Interstate 10 pass Ina Road in Marana, they have a clear view of a blank space in the middle of a new bridge that soon will carry Ina Road traffic over I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.

That small space – where the exit and entrance ramps to westbound I-10 will connect with Ina – is the last major piece in a two-year project to improve traffic flow and driver safety in northwest Pima County.

September marks the start of the final six months on a project that began in February 2017, with completion scheduled by early March.

ADOT is overseeing $128 million in improvements, which are funded by the Federal Highway Administration, the Pima Association of Governments and the Regional Transportation Authority. The town of Marana is contributing $7.9 million toward the cost of the new bridges over the Santa Cruz River west of I-10.

Crews are primarily finishing work that has already started, including creating a new westbound Ina Road bridge over the Santa Cruz River. Girders were put in place earlier this summer, and the concrete deck is set to be poured overnight Thursday and Friday, Sept. 13-14. The eastbound bridge at Ina Road will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. both nights for the deck pour on the westbound bridge.

The westbound Ina Road bridge is expected to open to traffic in January. The eastbound Ina Road bridge, opened in late 2017, is temporarily carrying both directions of traffic.

East of I-10, crews are beginning to work on curbs, gutters and sidewalks before paving begins on Ina Road. The bridge over I-10 is scheduled to open in early 2019. About that time, westbound traffic on I-10 will be moved to new lanes that are currently under construction.

Before work began, Ina Road crossed under I-10, and drivers frequently had to stop for passing freight trains. After completion, Ina Road will cross over I-10 and the railroad tracks. Both Ina Road and I-10 will have an additional lane in each direction to accommodate increasing traffic, with Ina Road improvements reaching west across the Santa Cruz River to Silverbell Road.

The improvements are designed to keep pace with growth in the Marana area while reducing congestion on Cortaro Road.

After work is complete at Ina Road, a similar project is scheduled to begin at Ruthrauff Road. That project will include widening I-10 to four lanes, widening Ruthrauff to two lanes in each direction and building a bridge to carry Ruthrauff over I-10 and the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.  Ruthrauff will be closed at I-10 throughout the 24-month project.

More information on this project is available at azdot.gov/InaTI.

Things to do in Marana in September and Beyond

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On The Horizon

Oct 27 - Free Movie In Marana: Casper
Nov 10 - Turkey Trot 5k/10k/Fun Run
Nov 17 - El Tour de Tucson 28-Mile Marana Segment
Dec 1 - Marana Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting
Dec 8 - Dispose-A-Med
Dec 15 - Electronic Recycling Event

Marana named one of the safest cities in Arizona

The Town of Marana was named one of the top-10 safest cities in Arizona by safewise.com, ranking 6th overall.

The Town scored particularly well in terms of violent crime, with just 3.8 percent of the crimes committed in the Town considered violent crimes. It was the second lowest percentage in the state. Marana had just 0.93 violent crimes per 1,000 residents. The national average is 4.64 per 1,000 citizens.

“Citizens and law enforcement officers of Arizona’s top six safest cities deserve special recognition,” wrote Alexia Chianis on safewise.com. “All of these cities reported fewer than one violent crime per 1,000 people.”

Marana only had 24.41 property crimes per 1,000 residents.

To determine the safest cities in Arizona, safewise.com reviewed the 2016 FBI crime report statistics and population data.

Their evaluation is based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) in each city. If there was a tie, we also factored in the number of property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft). To level the playing field, we calculated the rate of crimes per 1,000 people in each city. This makes it easier to directly compare the likelihood of these crimes occurring in cities with vastly different populations.

Read their full report. 

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:

Marana Parks & Rec Director Jim Conroy

Marana Vice Mayor Jon Post.

Marana Parks & Rec Deputy Director D. Tyrell McGirt.

New splash pad grand opening at Crossroads Park (with video)

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.

The new 2,400 square foot splash pad features a series of floor geysers, floor lighting, colorful shade sails, and seating integrated within the pad, outside of the water’s reach.At night the splash pad becomes a light show as the shooting water is illuminated from below and it can be programed with a variety of patterns.

The new splash pad is the latest amenity at the park and will be located near the playground and basketball courts, which will soon be undergoing their own transformation. The courts will soon be covered by a permanent solar structure, providing shade for those daytime pick-up games.  

The grand opening ceremony was the public’s first opportunity to experience the splash pad. Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy, Deputy Parks and Recreation Director D. Tyrell McGirt, and Vice Mayor Jon Post all spoke before members of the Marana Town Council cut the ceremonial ribbon to formally open the facility.

The splash pad is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and then from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. the light show will run. The splash pad is scheduled to remain open until the end of October.

Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy speaks at the grand opening:

Town of Maran Vice May Jon Post speaks at the grand opening:

Marana Parks and Recreation Deputy Director D. Tyrell McGirt speaks at the grand opening:

The public gets to play in the splash pad for the first time:

Night time light show:

Media footage of the splash pad from Tucson News Now:

Marana Police debuts new vehicles and design

The Marana Police Department debuted a new look on Friday as the first of their new silver Chevy Tahoes hit the road. In addition to the new color scheme, the vehicles have a new graphic design package.

Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema worked with Town of Marana Graphic Designer Ramon Armenta on the new design. Armenta, who played a major role in designing the new Town logo a few years back, presented a variety of designs and looks for the vehicle and worked with Marana Police Department to create the final design.

“We tried to give the vehicles a very clean, modern look that fits well with the brand we have created for the Town,” said Armenta.

Chief Rozema presented Armenta with vehicle designs he liked to serve as inspiration. Once Armenta presented his initial designs, Rozema picked his favorite and the two worked together to make some final adjustments. The final result placed emphasis on the word “Marana”, which is significantly larger than the previous designs.

Consistent with the older vehicles, the new Tahoes will continue to feature Marana Police Department’s motto of “Unparalleled Service, Unwavering Protection” and the department’s badge on the side of each vehicle.

The new silver paint scheme is less expensive than the previous black and white design.

The new SUVs are equipped with emergency lights, prisoner screens, communication laptops, prisoner seats, police consoles, storage boxes, emergency first aid equipment, blood borne pathogen kits and more.

The new vehicles have been on the road for just a few days, but the initial reaction has been mostly positive with a number of people on social media posting their support for the new design.

Only new vehicles placed into service will sport the new design. None of the existing vehicles will be repainted. By the end of the year 18 new vehicles will be added, in most cases replacing older vehicles that will be removed from use.

PRESS RELEASE: Grand Opening for New Splashpad in Marana

MARANA – Marana Parks and Recreation Department will hold a grand opening ceremony on Thursday, August 30 at 9:00 A.M. to commemorate the opening of the new splash pad at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park located at 7548 N. Silverbell Road.

The 2,400 square foot splash pad is the latest amenity at the park and will be located near the playground and basketball courts.

“We are very excited to give the residents of Marana another destination attraction,” said Marana Parks and Recreation Deputy Director D. Tyrell McGirt. “Splash pads allow everyone to have an interactive, safe, and fun aquatic experience.”

The grand opening ceremony will be the public’s first opportunity to experience the splash pad, and will be held prior to Labor Day weekend. The ceremony will include a short ribbon cutting ceremony, refreshments, and an opportunity to be the first to try out the many amenities.

The splash pad features a series of floor geysers, floor lighting, colorful shade sails, and seating integrated within the pad outside of the water’s reach.

The new splash pad will fit in nicely with the other amenities at the park which include a dog park, athletic fields, a playground, basketball courts, and walking paths with access to the shared use path.

“Parks and park amenities bring people together and build community. The Crossroads at Silverbell District Park splash pad will be another public gathering spot where people can recreate and get to know their neighbors.” said McGirt.

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.

Marana invites you to Fall Into Fun and Fitness

While the temperatures may not say fall, around the Marana Parks and Recreation Department, fall is in full swing. We are inviting everyone to Fall Into Fun + Fitness by partaking in all of our great fall programming.

We here at the Town are so excited about two new amenities for our residents. On August 10, we officially opened Tangerine Sky Community Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The 17-acre park is the largest in Northeast Marana, and will provide plenty of fun and recreation for residents in the area.

On August 30 the new splash pad at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park opens. This is Marana’s second splash pad, joining the facility at Marana Heritage River Park in the Gladden Farms area. This will be another great feature at Crossroads for families to enjoy.

We have something for everyone, from the most diehard fitness enthusiast to people looking for activities for kids. Our programs involve sports, fitness, music, and the arts.

There are plenty of sports and fitness opportunities for both adults and kids. For the grown-ups we have Softball and Flag Football leagues, and our Pickleball League has become very popular. For those who want to work on their volleyball or hoops games, we have our Open Gyms for both basketball and volleyball.

For the kids were will have two separate Pee Wee Soccer leagues, one in South Marana at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park and one in North Marana at Ora Mae Harn Park. Sign-ups are already underway for January’s flag football league, but player evaluations are in October. For those who want to prepare for the season, we have a preseason football clinic that will get athletes up to speed.

We are also offering Tennis lessons for children as young as five years old. After their popularity over the summer, we are bringing back our horse camps for fall break in October.

For all of our runners out there, we have two bit races. In October, we have our second Dirt Dash Trail Run on the Wild Burro Trail. This year we added a 4.6K race to go along with the longer 15.6K race for those who really want to push themselves.

In November, we invite you to prepare for your Thanksgiving feast with the annual Turkey Trot. This year we add a Fun Run to go along with the 5K and 10K distances.

Those who love our amazing trails will have plenty of opportunities to experience the Tortolitas. We have both guided hikes and guided horseback rides.

Steve Berry’s Martial Arts Academy returns for those 6&Up who want to learn self-defense and self-discipline. Want to get in shape? Then our new Fitness on the Farm, boot camp style classes might be what you are looking for.

Marana Game Day – Corn Hole Tournament also returns this year, moving to December 1.

For those who want to learn or experience something new, we have a lot of great programs. We are expanding our music lessons in a partnership with Pima College. This year we will be offering guitar, piano, and Native American style flute classes.

More experienced musicians may want to participate in the monthly Bluegrass Jam sessions, while teens can learn Jazz/Lyrical Dance. Maybe singing and dancing is more your style? Then the Marana Community Musical Theatre may be for you. Last month they put on a wonderful performance of the Wizard of OZ, and they have a lot planned for this year.

Parks and Recreation is partnering with the American Red Cross to provide Baby Sitter Training and Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED classes.

For our residents 50 and up, the Boomer Adventure Trips with excursions to Apple Annie’s in Wilcox, the Patagonia Festival, Madera Canyon, and Winterhaven in December. We will also host a Fall Harvest/Halloween Dine and Dance event at the Marana Heritage River Park.

Whatever your interest, fitness, education, or just plain old fun, Marana Parks and Recreation has something for you. Come check us out.

Jim Conroy is the Town of Marana's Director of Parks and Recreation. 

Manager's Message: Projects on the horizon for the new fiscal year

We are officially two months into the new fiscal year and we are excited about what’s to come. Just as last year provided the Town with a number of milestones and accomplishments, fiscal year 2019 is already promising to be a great one for exciting projects in our community. By the end of this fiscal year, we can enjoy improved transportation corridors, expanded infrastructure developments, and new public facilities. 

We are nearing completion on several new park projects over the next few months, including the opening of two new parks and a water feature. Tangerine Sky Park opened this month, and hot on its heels will be the splash pad at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park. Honea Heights pocket park will also open later this fall. 

Our police officers will be moving into a new building very soon. The new police facility is within a couple of months of completion, and is the result of months of public education and outreach, a community-supported half-cent sales tax increase, and years of research, planning and development. The designs include improved amenities to accommodate the police department’s various services, as well as the capacity to manage Marana’s anticipated population growth, and the commensurate police department growth, over the next 20 years.

The expansion of the wastewater facility is complete and has allowed us to triple the capacity at the water reclamation facility from what it was when Marana took over the sewer business. This further allows the Town to control our developmental destiny in North Marana. One of the other reasons Marana Town Council decided to enter the sewer business was to enhance Marana’s water portfolio. The recharge facility, when finished, will take in 100 percent of the effluent from the new sewer plant. The grand opening for the new wastewater facility is scheduled for the fall. 

Tangerine Road is nearing completion. For the last several years, construction crews have worked to steadily widen and flatten Tangerine Road to create a seamless corridor from Oracle Road to Interstate 10. With these extensive improvements, drivers on this essential artery can enjoy a safer, smoother and more accessible roadway. 

As we mark these milestones with celebrations and grand openings, we continue to prepare for the future with our infrastructure projects. This fiscal year, Marana Regional Airport begins a major asphalt repair project that will enhance a facility that was already narrowing the gap between revenues and operating expenditures. That narrowing of the gap will continue with the signing of new leases at current market rates. This is the first chance the town has had to renegotiate the leases since becoming the owner of the airport, and we are dedicated to promoting the airport’s vitality and future growth. 

Last year we began the transformation of North Marana, including the realignment of Marana Road. Soon we will cap off that project with a landscaping element on the roundabout that will make it an attractive gateway to North Marana as well as Downtown. 

All of these projects are intended to secure the future of the community, as Marana continues to be well-positioned to attract new residential development. Last fiscal year we made a goal of 625 single family residences, and eclipsed that by nearly 200 more residential homes. We expect to continue the trend of being a destination for new homeowners and development. With the new homes will come new businesses. Last year we saw Top Golf lead the way for new businesses calling Marana home, and we expect to see more employers. 

Marana is ideally suited for growth in the Tucson Metropolitan region.  This year we will embark on a sewer conveyance study that will identify new growth areas.  We will also initiate a drainage study covering North Marana that will provide us with options to not only make it safer during the monsoon season but will help us identify ways to get some acreage out of the floodplain.

The last fiscal year was a great one for our Town, and we have the same optimism and excitement for 2019 moving forward.

Jamsheed Mehta is the town manager of Marana.

FOCUS: Lock it or Lose it

While many of us feel safe in our community, taking a few extra steps can ensure you and your belongings remain safe. Here are a few safety tips to help you protect your property:

at home

• ALWAYS secure your garage door and close it at night
• Do not leave your vehicle open when unloading items
• Schedule delivery of internet purchases when someone is home
• Make sure vehicles parked on the property are locked and free of tempting items
• Trim the vegetation to the front of the house
• Leave the porch light on
• Let a trusted friend or relative know when you're out of town so they can check your residence

when shopping

• REMOVE your valuables from vehicles
• Don't leave packages visible through vehicle windows
• Secure packages in the trunk when possible
• Pay attention to your surroundings when walking to your vehicle
• Don't leave your purse unattended in your cart (use purse strap to secure purse to cart)
• ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings
• ALWAYS lock your vehicle
• DO NOT leave valuables or firearms in vehicles
• Be mindful of boxes that can be seen from an open garage door indicating new purchases
• Verify ALL outside lighting is functional
• Report ANY and ALL suspicious activity
• Non-emergency (520)682-4032
• TAKE Your keys

Tangerine Sky Park celebrates its grand opening

On Friday, August 10, 2018, the Town of Marana conducted the Grand Opening of Tangerine Sky Community Park. This event was organized and executed by the Marana Parks and Recreation Department and the Town’s Communications Office.  Several hundred people participated in this Grand Opening Ceremony.

 Parks and Recreation Director, Jim Conroy, Emceed this event and specifically acknowledged the Planning Commission as well as both the Sky Ranch HOA and Casa Sevilla HOA  (neighboring HOA’s to the Park) for their support both during the planning and construction of the park. Conroy also recognized both the professional design teams and construction companies who planned and built the park. 

Marana Mayor Ed Honea spoke on behalf of the Marana Town Council.

 As part of the ceremony, members of the “Marana Community Music Theatre” group, sang the National Anthem and America the Beautiful, which was very entertaining and well done.

 The public was treated to light refreshments, and were given their first opportunity to check out the park’s numerous amenities.

“Feedback on the park and the ceremony was very positive,” Conroy noted. ““There is a little something for everyone, people are going to love coming to this park.”

Conroy stressed that the park has something for a variety of age groups and interests.

Tangerine Sky Park project information:

4411 West Tangerina Road
(Between Camino de Oeste and Camino de Manana)

Total Cost of the Project: $4.1 Million for acquisition, design, and construction budget. The project was funded by Park Impact Fees.

Size: 18-acre site, preserving the natural environment, terrain, and vegetation.

The Park is ADA accessible.

Features:

2,100 linear feet of paved path has along tangerine from Camino de Oeste to Camino de Manana. 1,200 of this is directly adjacent to the park, from Camino de Oeste to the park path connection by the deer sculpture, and about 1,100 feet of paved path connected to it looping around the park, and additional raked earth and decomposed granite path networks.

Four Ramadas:
30’X40’ Ramada and 15’X25’ Ramada by the playground.
15’X25’ Ramada, and 8’X20’ Ramada by multi-use field.

Two Playgrounds:
Smaller playground for 2-5 year olds with play structure and swings.
Large playground for 5-12 year olds with play structure, swings, climbing bounders, double bobble rider, and Zip-line

Fenced basketball full court, with dark skies ordinance compliant lighting and 8’X20’ Ramada

2 Dog Parks:
Large Fenced: 20,00 sq. feet, 3,000 sq. feet of turf, and a 8’X20’ Ramada and dog fountain.
Small Fenced: 7,500 sq. feet, 1,200 sq. feet of turn, and a  8’X20’ Ramada and dog fountain.

Masonry restroom.

61 space paved parking lot.

Signalized intersection with Tangerine.

Crosswalk and path from Sky Ranch.

Salvaged plants serving as native landscaping.