By Mike Vreeland | Point of View
The men and women who maintain and oversee Scottsdale’s parks are among the best in the nation. It’s one more reason why voters in Scottsdale should vote ‘yes’ on Propositions 490 and 491.
The Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies has, once again, accredited Scottsdale’s Parks and Recreation Department. CAPRA accreditation is the only national recognition of its kind for parks and recreation agencies. Less than 2% of departments nationwide achieve this elite status.
Scottsdale has enjoyed this status since October 1994, longer than any other agency in Arizona, placing it among the top five longest accredited in the United States.
This accreditation is further evidence that, if passed, Propositions 490 and 491 will be implemented responsibly and the monies spent wisely.
Prop 490 will help revitalize and maintain Scottsdale’s parks, beginning in the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt. It will provide ongoing care and protection for the McDowell Sonoran Preserve for the next 30 years. It will improve public safety by doubling the Police Rangers Unit and increase Fire safety citywide. There are strict legal provisions in place to make sure the money will be spent as intended.
As a citizen serving on the Parks and Recreation Commission, I see the aging within the Greenbelt Parks, which are all at least fifty years old. These Parks have significant needs which cannot be met through the General Fund.
Prop 491 will adjust state spending limits, which will give the city the ability to spend the money it already has on the services and public safety that the community needs and expects. It will not raise taxes.
We have one of the best Parks departments in the nation. It’s imperative that we give them the funding and tools to keep our parks in top condition. We need to pass Props 490 and 491!
Editor’s Note: Mr. Vreeland is a member of the Scottsdale Parks and Recreation Commission
