Marana completes police facility construction, repeals half-cent sales tax

The Marana Town Council voted unanimously to repeal the half-cent sales tax put in place to fund the new Town of Marana Police Facility following the facility’s completion. The decision was made at the October 16 Town Council meeting and will go into effect on January 1, 2019.

“A promise made, a promise kept,” said Marana Mayor Ed Honea.

In April 2015, Town Council approved the sales tax increase to fund the bulk of the police facility project. The sunset tax was designed to raise $18 million dollars to build the facility and then be repealed as soon as the necessary funds were collected. The temporary tax increase went into effect on July 1, 2015.

Based upon current collections and conservative estimates from the independent tax analysis and forecast report by Elliott D. Pollack & Company, the Town anticipates that the one-half percent sales tax will generate the remaining portion of the targeted $18 Million with the December 2018 collections.

“I believe this is a pretty significant achievement to the community,” said Deputy Town Manager Erik Montague in his presentation to Town Council. “This is the second time in my time here that we have fulfilled our promise to the community where we had a temporary tax for a specific purpose.”

The sales tax increase came after nearly a year of public outreach and research. At the July 1, 2014 council meeting, Town Council requested a public outreach plan be developed, and the following month that plan was presented and approved by Council. Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema met with local residents and business leaders and garnered the necessary support to build the project. This public outreach included public meetings, direct business outreach, media interviews, survey cards, and open houses to show the need for the new facility.

With public and business support for the project, Town Council voted in February 2015 to initiate the process to adopt the dedicated one-half percent sales tax to be used exclusively for the design and construction, fixtures, furniture and equipment for a new police department building, and in April they finalized the tax.

Council required that the proceeds from the tax increase be placed in a newly established fund dedicated to building the police facility.  Any collections in excess of $18,000,000 will be used for other costs related to the new police building, including but not limited to operating costs, landscaping, and design and construction of drainage improvements.

The Marana Police Department will hold their dedication ceremony for the new facility on Wednesday, November 14.

Marana News: Marana Art Expo coming this month

The Marana News had a good article on the Marana Art Expo, which will be held on October 26-27 at the Marana Community Center.

The Town of Marana is receiving an extra dose of culture this month with the Marana Art Expo. 

Hosted by parks and recreation, the expo will feature local artists Robin Parnell, Jerry Gwin and Anja Leigh on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27 at the Marana Community Center, 1325 N. Lon Adams Road.

The family-friendly event is free and open to the public, and will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. 

Read the rest at the Marana News website.

Marana, lighting the way to energy savings

On Friday, October 12, the Town of Marana debuted the new Solar/Shade Super Structure at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park. The 9,600 square foot structure covers the existing two basketball courts. 

in addition to the great energy savings achieved from this solar structure, it will also expand the Town of Marana’s ability to provide more recreational and community programs for our citizens. The structure will provide shade during hot Arizona days and it is equipped with state of the art lighting, making games at night an even better experience.

Marana Parks and Recreation believes the structure will provide additional opportunities beyond basketball. 

“This structure will allow the ability to provide programs under this shaded structure during times of the year, that previously would not have been possible on the fully sun-exposed concrete courts,” said Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy. “The lights under this structure are high quality LED lamps which will also provide outstanding lighting for night time sporting and community events. From basketball tournaments to community festivals, this new structure will enhance our ability to better serve our residents.”

The structure at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park is the second located in a Marana park, joining a 6,097  sq. ft. solar structure in Ora Mae Harn District Park. Like the structure at Crossroads, this project will not only provide electrical credits and environmentally friendly energy, it will also serve as an outstanding amenity for the park. This structure will provide shade for park patrons watching swim meets in the pool or their children playing on the large playground structure.

The two structures, as well as future structures erected at the Marana Municipal Complex are part of a power-purchase agreement with Solon. The company pays for the installation costs of the solar arrays, while the Town pays a discounted rate for the energy it uses. Estimates by the Town of Marana Public Works Department believe the installations will save the Town roughly $3 million over a 30-year period.

“These two projects went very smoothly,” said Facilities Superintendent Brendan O’Connor, who served as the project’s project manager. “Solon met the schedules laid out in the pre-construction meetings and they were a pleasure to work with.”

The Town of Marana’s other solar projects with solar arrays include the Marana Municipal Complex’s parking lot, the new secure parking lot at the Marana Police Facility, and a collection of solar arrays at the Marana Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

The arrays in the parks are on a net metering systems which gives the Town the ability to produce power during the day and receive credit for nighttime usage.

“The two projects will save money on costly electrical bills and demonstrate that clean energy is a smart choice for the future,” said Marana Public Works Director Mo El-Ali. “These clean-energy investments support building a healthier, more sustainable community where we work, live, and play. The Crossroads park project will provide a nice community engagement platform. We look forward to collaborating and partnering further with Solon to advance further projects.”

Traffic Alert: Tangerine Farms Road - Storm Repairs

The Town of Marana will be replacing trees along Tangerine Farms Road due to Monsoon storm damage. The work will be starting on Monday, October 8th, 2018 through Friday, October 19th, 2018. 

This work will take place during day time hours from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm and include a single lane closure.     

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs.

Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

START DATE:  10/08/2018                                           END DATE:  10/19/2018

DAILY START TIME:  6:00:00                                  DAILY STOP TIME:  16:00:00

SEVERITY: MINOR

PROJECT CONTACT: For questions related to this specific project, please contact Town of Marana Public Works Office at (520) 382-2536.

Travel Impact:  Light delays

Forbes honors Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain

 The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain has set a new standard for desert luxury in the United States, having been named today to the Forbes Travel Guide 2018 Verified Lists of the World’s Most Luxurious Hotels and World’s Most Luxurious Spas.

Announcement of the coveted dual ranking notes that only eight properties in the world, including The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, have earned a Verified List position in both the hotel and spa categories -- with just three in the U.S. achieving this recognition for both hotel and spa. Two of the dual U.S. winners are located on the east coast, while The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain claims the only western-based double ranking.

Forbes’ “Most Luxurious Hotels” list
Forbes’ “Most Luxurious Spas” list

Forbes Travel Guide’s new Verified Lists are compiled from data gathered by the company’s incognito inspectors, who stay at the properties and evaluate them on up to 900 rigorous objective standards used to determine the guide’s annual Star Ratings, which were most recently announced in February 2018. The new Most Luxurious winners are the top 2018 performers in the specific standards that reflect detailed attention to the list’s level of sumptuous comfort, as well as luxurious choices and conveniences afforded to guests. 

Fifty-eight hotels in 17 countries have earned the new Forbes Verified List designation, representing the top six percent of 1,017 Star Rated hotels in performance on standards related to luxury. Just 30 spas in six countries have won the award, out of 269 Star Rated spas worldwide.

“This dual Forbes honor for our hotel and spa acknowledges a stellar team effort, and we are thrilled to be included,” said Liam Doyle, Area General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “Our newly-unveiled resort transformation should further elevate the Forbes Five Star experience, helping to raise the bar on authentic desert luxury in the United States. We are excited to share this stunning new resort experience with guests.”

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain property transformation was unveiled this fall and includes a floor-to-ceiling makeover of its 253 guest rooms and 44,000 square-feet of meeting space, all inspired by the resort’s highly evocative Sonoran Desert sense of place.

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.