Fort Verde vandalized again

[Source: Steve Ayers, Bugle] -- For the third time in the last four months, vandals have struck historic Fort Verde State Park. According to Park Ranger Dennis Lockhart, someone sprayed graffiti on the wall of the surgeon's quarters in April. Then in July someone broke out several panes of glass in an old window at the fort's visitor center. Last weekend the same window was broken out again and the air conditioner for the museum and visitor center (pictured) was destroyed. Lockhart estimates the panes of glass cost about $40 each to repair. The air conditioner will have to be replaced, costing an estimated $5,000.

[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source: Steve Ayers, VVN.]

Seligman's Harvey House is history

[Source: Mark Boardman, True West] -- In January, we wrote about ongoing efforts to save the historic Havasu Harvey House in Seligman, Arizona. Today, the circa 1905 building is gone, demolished by its owner, the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad. For years, the BNSF has wanted to tear down the empty hotel, which closed in the mid-1950s. Local group Friends of Havasu looked for ways to buy it. The railroad offered to donate it to anybody who would move it. Nothing came of the offer, and the Havasu came down in May 2008. The salvaged historic items were given to Seligman Historical Society. Our thanks to Dan Lutzick for the info and picture. Dan is project supervisor for the renovation of the El Garces Harvey Hotel in Needles, California. The $10-million effort includes a restaurant, visitors center, museum and hotel. He hopes to have it finished by the end of this year, just in time to celebrate the building’s 100th anniversary.

State rejects historic status for Page Springs Road in Cornville

[Source: Jon Hutchinson, Verde News] -- Page Spring Road does not meet the standards necessary to be designated historic by the state. That was the disappointing verdict received Wednesday by the Cornville Community Association and the Cornville Historical Society. But, it is not clear that the local organizations are after the same outcome as the state advisory board. Chairman for the Parkways, Historic, Scenic Advisory Committee, Leroy Brady told the crowd after the Advisory Commission turned down the application on a 3 to 4 vote, that "this may open other doors." Deana King, chairman of the Cornville Community Association said, "It is disappointing, because we worked so hard and we followed every criteria, we put two and a half years into this project."

[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source: Verde News.]

Future 'Megapolitan' area will take in tri-cities

[Source: Cindy Barks, Daily Courier] -- As Arizona's cities continue to grow and meld together into a massive
"Megapolitan," preservation of Prescott's unique features will become even more critical. That was one of the points that prominent Arizona attorney and land-use expert Grady Gammage Jr (pictured) made Monday night in his comments to about 75 people who turned out at the Yavapai College Performance Hall for the latest segment of the 2050 Visioning planning effort's series of speakers.

Gammage, who helped to author the recently released Morrison Institute report, "Megapolitan - Arizona's Sun Corridor," focused on the study's premise that Arizona's major cities would continue to grow together in coming decades. By about 2035, Gammage predicted that the population corridor would form one major "Megapolitan" that would include six Arizona counties and would stretch northwest from Sierra Vista near the Mexican border, ultimately encompassing Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott, and Chino Valley. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Sedona's Homolovi Ruins State Park celebrates Suvoyuki Day

[Source: Ellen Bilbrey, Gateway to Sedona] -- "Suvoyuki" translated in the Hopi language means to accomplish work through at "joint effort." "Suvoyuki Day" is an open house day at Homolovi Ruins State Park that celebrates the partners who have helped to protect and save Homolovi area archaeological and cultural sites from destruction. The event begins on Friday, July 11, at 7 p.m., with a talk about the Hopi culture.

On Saturday, July 12, the day begins at 6 a.m., with a traditional Hopi morning run (4 and 6.5 miles) with all participants invited. Following the run, the Hopi corn roasting pit will be opened and all will get a taste of freshly roasted sweet corn. Throughout the day, there will be Hopi artist demonstrations, traditional food demonstrations and lectures. Archaeologists will also be there to interpret the sites. Parking will be available on the northeast corner of Interstate 40 and State Route 87. Shuttle service will then be available from there to the park. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Hotel Jerome apartment project still possible

[Source: Philip Wright, Verde Valley News] -- The idea of turning the old Hotel Jerome into modern, affordable-housing apartments is still alive. That is primarily through the efforts of Town Manager Brenda Man-Fletcher and a small cadre of Jerome residents who believe in the project. Man-Fletcher held a public information meeting Wednesday night in Town Hall. Her presentation was both to let people know what has been done and what might lie ahead. It's all conceptual at this point. And Man-Fletcher isn't making any promises.

She's just trying to help the town figure out if the idea is viable or not. "We have a beautiful building," Man-Fletcher said. "Right now it houses two art galleries. We have two floors that are completely unfinished." She said when anyone tours those upper floors, flashlights must be used because there isn't any electrical service. The building is home to the Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery, founded more than a decade ago to showcase the work of area artists. One of the subbasements is used each summer for the Jerome Kids Art Workshop.

[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source: Philip Wright, Verde Valley News.]

City of Prescott to build water tower above Indian Hill

The city of Prescott plans to build a huge 1.3 gallon water tower with a 85 foot cluster cell tower above "Indian Hill". The city has already bulldozed the Indian ruins of to one side. To find out how you can help stop the further desecration of this site, contact Debra Kaukol, founder of the "Save Indian Hill" coalition, at frankanddebk@aol.com or 928-776-1956.

Historic Prescott cemetery getting new protection from vandals

[Source: Joanna Dodder Nellans, Daily Courier] -- A group of volunteers took their first step recently to ensure the safety of a piece of Prescott's history. Fourteen years after its creation, the Yavapai Cemetery Association has raised enough money to start putting up sections of fence to protect the historic Citizens Cemetery along Sheldon Street better from vandalism. Records show 2,750 people were buried here between 1864 and 1939 when it filled up, and many more remain unlisted.

For the first 40 years, no map of the cemetery existed, association president Pat Atchison said. A call for information went out, but, by then, much of the personal information was lost to time. The map shows hundreds of graves as "unknown." Until the Cemetery Association came along 14 years ago, the county-owned cemetery was in disrepair, Atchison said. When volunteers cleared out bushes and weeds, it became less vulnerable to vandalism. But by then, only 845 of the burials still had some sort of headstone. "It just seems a shame, because once that's gone, it's just one less thing about that person that's still on the face of the earth," Atchison said. "And it's the history of Prescott."

To contribute to the fence fund, donors may send checks to the Yavapai Cemetery Association, 201 S. Pleasant St., Prescott, AZ 86303. [Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source: Jo. L. Keener, Daily Courier.]

Sedona Historic Preservation Commission hosts tours of historic places in Sedona in May

[Source: Sedona.biz] -- Sedona will join thousands of people around the country as part of a nationwide celebration of National Preservation Month in May 2008. “This Place Matters" is the theme of this year’s celebration, which is sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since the National Trust created Preservation Week in 1971 to spotlight grassroots preservation efforts in America, it has grown into an annual month-long celebration observed by small towns and big cities. The purpose is to celebrate the diverse and irreplaceable heritage of our country’s cities and states and enable more Americans to become involved in the growing preservation movement.

An event in honor of National Historic Preservation Month for Sedona is being planned by the Sedona Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). Friday, May 16th the Commission will co-host an open house at the historic Hart Store, now Hummingbird House on Brewer Road from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The open house will celebrate the Hart Store being added to the National Register of Historic Places. More details will be forthcoming about this free street party intended for the entire community. Pioneer descendants and Hart relatives are planning to attend.

[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo: Janeen Trevillyan (center holding paper), Historic Preservation Commission Chairperson, leads a recent tour in Uptown, Sedona.]

43rd annual Jerome historic home tour May 17-18

[Sedona.biz] -- Visit 8 historic homes and buildings throughout Jerome on May 17-18 from 9am-3pm as part of the 43rd Annual Jerome Home Tour. This year promises to be an exciting and interesting tour with a new look at the Phelps Dodge Administrative Office which has been beautifully restored at one end of town, down to 2 modern day ‘Jerome Style’ dream homes that have been works in progress for many years and are now ready for a first viewing.

A classic Victorian house, a 1904 cottage and authentic Gypsy Caravan, the beautiful and haunting Holy Cross Catholic Church, The Ladies Jail, and a charming 1914 home on the main road into Jerome ...this fills out a roster that gives a cross-section of Jerome then and now. End the tour with refreshments at Jerome's famous 'Spook Hall.' The piece de resistance of the tour is The Pink Lady House (pictured). The Riordan House, now referred to as The Pink Lady House because of its lovely and authentic Victorian paint scheme, was built in 1898. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Sedona's Historic Preservation Commission announces first “Most Endangered Places” list

[Source: City of Sedona, Historic Preservation Commission] -- The City of Sedona’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) announces its first “Sedona’s Most Endangered Places” list. The list is intended to bring attention to endangered historic resources through the use of a publicized list. It is hoped that the list will not only bring awareness, but will generate ideas and support for preservation of important historic properties in the City. “The HPC put a lot of thought into the creation of this program and the identification of these first properties.”, said Commission Chairperson, Janeen Trevillyan. “The program itself is based on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s program. Considering the pressures of development and build-out in Sedona, the high percentage of historic properties in intense zoning areas of the city, and the rarity of historic structures in town, this seemed like one more way the Commission could bring attention to the fragility of our few historic resources.”

Kathy Levin, Associate Planner in the City’s Community Development Dept. outlined the criteria for the HPC’s inclusion of properties on this new list. That criteria includes the 1.) significance or architectural, artistic, and/or historic importance of a site; and/or 2.) urgency for immediate action to stop or reverse serious threats; and/or 3.) the existence of potential solutions that can remove the threat. “The Commission hopes that these criteria will stimulate positive action and they feel the properties on this first list illustrate some or all of these important local historical themes.”, she stated. The HPC met several times and made site visits in order to determine what properties should be included on this list. They considered their condition, known or presumed threats, and potential solutions for preservation. They carefully limited this list to the properties they considered most critical in need. The City of Sedona’s Historic Preservation Commission’s first “Sedona’s Most Endangered Places” list is as follows, and in no particular order:

• The Elmer & Lizzie Purtymun House (at Lomacasi), 1924
  The Purtymun house (pictured) built by members of the fourth permanent family in Oak Creek Canyon is a typical Sedona vernacular house of its era and is potentially eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The owner is currently seeking permission to develop the site for high-intensity commercial uses and potential solutions for preservation might be to incorporate the house into the development, or move it on the site to an undeveloped area of the project.



• Madole-Rigby House, circa. 1948
  This adobe house was built for Douglas and Elisabeth Rigby, and is perhaps the oldest adobe house in Sedona. It was designed by Howard Madole and built by his family. Madole is known as Sedona first designer to use modern design and building materials. It also may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. This home sits in the center of a large vacant parcel that could experience dense development. A potential solution would be to incorporate it into any new development on the site.



• Irrigation Ditches, begun in 1880s
  Sedona’s earliest settlers built irrigation ditches from Oak Creek to their farms. These ditches contributed to our orchard history. Some are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. These ditches have many owners with varying degrees of interest in preservation and they are occasionally damaged by flooding. While some owners on these linear landmarks have received Local Landmark status for the ditch segments on their property, a final solution to preservation would be to have the balance of owners agree to “Local Landmark” status.



• Old Post Office, circa. 1938
  Charley Thompson, descendant of our first permanent settler, built this structure along the ‘new’ road in Uptown Sedona to replace the post office washed away by the 1938 flood. The building was relocated to Brewer Road sometime after a new post office was built in 1950. This building sits on a large commercially zoned mostly vacant parcel that is prime for large and intense development. Potential solutions could be either incorporation into any new development or move to another site.

For more information about this list or the work of the Historic Preservation Commission, call Kathy Levin at 928-203-5035.

Bad news for Seligman's historic Harvey hotel

[Source: Jeremy Thomas, Cronkite News Service] -- Looking through a chain-link fence at the abandoned Havasu Hotel, once the economic and social center of this community, Angel Delgadillo found it hard to acknowledge that it won't be here soon. "Progress," he said, shaking his head. Residents who have fought for years to save the former Harvey hotel learned recently that Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway will tear it down. "We're losing so much," said Delgadillo, a lifelong Seligman resident who runs a gift shop. "All we have are the memories. It was the elite of hotels not just in Seligman, but in the entire state. It was a time of dignity. It was so special. These are the things you don't forget."

Lena Kent, a spokeswoman for the railroad, which owns the property, said demolition would begin this week. She declined to elaborate on what might replace the building. "It's really sad that it wasn't able to find a new home," Kent said. "After a decade we had to make the decision to go forward." The railroad was willing to let someone move some or all of the hotel to another site, but a deal didn't materialize. Instead, some items from the hotel will be salvaged and donated to the Seligman Historical Society, Kent said.

[Note: To read the full article, click here. For details on the remaining Harvey Hotels in Arizona, click here. Photo source: Sonu Munshi, Cronkite News Service.]

Historic Seligman hotel will be demolished

[Source: Nathan Ryder, Channel 2 News] -- Efforts to save an historic railroad hotel in northwestern Arizona have come the end of the line. The 100 year old Havasu Harvey House was built alongside the old Santa Fe Railroad mainline in Seligman. Many living in the tiny town of less than 1,000 people are upset they weren’t able to preserve this piece of history. The Havasu Harvey House was built by Fred Harvey around 1905, a glorious stopping point for tourists looking to enjoy the rough and tumble of the old west. During the golden age of railroads, passengers would stop at the Havasu Harvey House for a bite to eat and a place to sleep for the night. It was also called Prescott Junction because another rail line met up with the Santa Fe line and ran south into Prescott. Cattle and mail were often picked up in Seligman to be transported to points in the Midwest and east. During World War II, trains carrying soldiers to the west coast for trips overseas would stop at the Havasu Harvey House. Soldiers were allowed off the train to stretch their legs and grab a boxed lunch from the Harvey lunch counter.

That history will soon turn to nothing but memories when the building is demolished beginning next week. “The town was created around the building and that’s part of our heritage here,” said Frank Kocevar. He has lived in Seligman for the last 7 years and restored his early 1900’s home and historic Route-66 storefront. Kocevar was also working hard to try and preserve the historic hotel and move it around the corner to an empty lot he owns right on Route-66. “My proposal was to save at least part of it, something that would fit into the town. We weren’t asking for a handout. We went in with a business proposal that we thought would work for both parties.” The Havasu Harvey House now sits behind a chain link fence topped with barbed wire. Officials with BNSF say they had to fence off the historic building after years of vandalism and theft. Last used as an office for the railroad in the late 1980’s, thieves quickly moved in stealing the original woodwork and fixtures and even tore up walls to take electrical wiring and the building’s plumbing. Spokeswoman Lena Kent says teens would also use the building as a place to party.

Between the two different groups she says the building has been destroyed inside. Kent says BNSF has been working with community members in Seligman for the last 10 years on trying to find a way to save the hotel. She says they’ve agreed to delay demolition in the past but now they need to take action. “We’ve decided to move forward because we do feel that it’s a safety issue and that building needs to come down,” said Kent. She added that local fire officials have indicated they wouldn’t enter the building to fight a fire if it ever broke out because of the dangerous conditions. Standing in his historic shop complete with the original soda fountain, Frank Kocevar says there is one good thing that is coming out of this situation. He thinks more attention has been brought to the need to preserve pieces of our past. Kocevar hopes more people will stand up in their own communities and keep things original in the modern world. As demolition crews move in on Monday, he says it will be hard to watch but feels he tried to do everything he could to save a part of Arizona’s history. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Sierra Club opposes Barbara Antonsen Memorial Park in Sedona

[Source: Sierra Club Sedona-Verde Valley Group] -- The Sierra Club Sedona-Verde Valley Group opposes transfer of the AZ Heritage Fund Grant monies to rebuild the ”re-born” 600+ capacity Cultural Center at Posse Grounds Park. We are opposed to the construction of the proposed Cultural Center at Posse Grounds Park for the following reasons:

Environmental

This property was proactively cleared of smaller plants in mid-Fall, 2007 just before the “area of construction” was outlined and a pole denoting height of structure were installed. Twenty large mature pinions and junipers and almost as many large (5’) native shrubs (Manzanita, live Oak) would have to be removed for the construction further degrading the site. Although the “Friends of Posse Grounds Park, Inc.” (“Friends”) have maintained that the trees could be transplanted; checking with local arborists suggests that the transplant success rate even under the best conditions would be far less than 50%. This Park is also already overused and overbuilt with 16 playing fields, West Sedona elementary school, a teen center, skate park, dog park, community swimming pool and popular hiking trails - and insufficient parking (less than 140 parking spaces). It is also not directly accessible from a major highway (as the first Center was) without first traversing contiguous neighborhoods.

City of Sedona money mismanagement; lack of city skills; and coercive behavior toward residents

The City has an obvious lack of skills to oversee, maintain, and run such a venue; we note the failure of the City to properly manage and ensure the Heritage Fund grant funds before its release to a non-profit organization responsible for building and operating the Sedona Cultural Park, and subsequent bankruptcy of the non-profit resulting from the City’s lack of oversight – notably Public money mismanagement. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Ruffner earns the 'Arizona 'Historymakers' achievement

[Source: Ken Hedler, Daily Courier] --Elisabeth Ruffner, who arrived in Prescott as a bride in 1940, said people in her hometown of Cincinnati revered their city's history. Ruffner, 88, became interested in historical preservation that year when her late husband, Lester Ward "Budge" Ruffner, went to work as a partner in a funeral home in a Victorian home on South Cortez Street. She said she helped to save the building, which dates to the 1880s. She continues the enthusiasm to this day, in some cases helping to preserve and restore buildings that she predates, such as the Hassayampa Inn. The hotel, which dates to 1927, displays a Governor's Award that she received in 1987 for historic preservation in the rehabilitation/restoration category.

Ruffner said she and Prescott architect Bill Otwell have helped to secure National Register of Historic Places designations for the Hassayampa Inn, the Elks Opera House and other buildings in Prescott. Ruffner has provided "inestimable" help in preserving the hotel, General Manager Tilden "Skip" Drinkard said. "Let's say 'priceless,'" Drinkard continued. "What Elisabeth has done is help us establish a real credible history of this hotel." Ruffner is due for another honor March 29 when the Historical League Inc. of the Arizona Historical Society honors residents who have contributed significantly toward preserving the state's history. The league will honor Ruffner and five others as Arizona Historymakers at the black-tie dinner in the Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale.

The press release on the event cites Ruffner for more than 50 years of "dedicated effort and expertise" to the City of Prescott and Yavapai County. It mentions her efforts to establish a community hospital and public library. Ruffner said she founded the auxiliary of Prescott Community Hospital - now Yavapai Regional Medical Center - in 1943 - and helped to write the bylaws for the hospital association. Three years earlier, Prescott women sought her help because she was new in town to establish a new library building, replacing the Carnegie Library, Ruffner said. The state Historical Society sought nominees for Historymakers from every historical society in Arizona, said Patricia Faur, who handles its publicity. The society receives 90 to 100 nominees a year. "I have lived a good life in this little town, and I am continuing to serve it," Ruffner said.

Is Sedona putting all of its eggs in one basket? (op-ed)

[Source: Sedona.biz] -- Sedona’s current Mayor “Pud” Colquitt, who is vying for reelection, proudly lists the following as one of the City Council’s major accomplishments during her term as Mayor: “...the Heritage Grant funding threatened with the failure of the original Cultural Park by negotiating to transfer funds to the Barbara Antonsen Park and the Creekwalk projects" (Sedona Verde Valley Times, Volume 1, Issue 4, February 2008). She neglects to mention that as of this date, such a feat has not been accomplished, or that her campaign treasurer and former Community Services Director is a major spokesperson for the “Friends of the Posse Grounds Park, Inc.” (the “Friends”). This group is a City selected non-profit organization leading the effort to put a performance venue in the almost entirely recreational Posse Grounds Park. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

History of Prescott airport dates back more than eight decades

[Source: Cindy Barks, Daily Courier] -- Prescott's long and storied aviation past was apparent this past week during a presentation on the history of Ernest A. Love Field Airport. Not only did the city's Historic Preservation Specialist Nancy Burgess offer a report on the 80 years since the first dedication of the Prescott Airport, but a local octogenarian offered a real-life look at how the airport had affected his life. Burgess' presentation took place during the February 13 meeting of the local chapter of the American Aviation Historic Society at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

As Burgess was describing one of the airport's signature events - the staging of a training school for fighter pilots during World War II - one of the audience members, 83-year-old Cal Cohen (pictured), offered to give a first-hand account. "I was here in 1942 for flight training," Cohen told the crowd of more than 75 that gathered for the monthly aviation-oriented program. While he downplayed the training. "Mostly, we chased antelope," he joked, the training obviously helped shape Cohen's future. So much so that some 60 years later, he returned to Prescott as a retiree and has lived in the community for the past five years. Burgess explained that Prescott's airport officially formed in 1928, with a dedication on the prairie-dog-hole-riddled land northeast of Prescott. But, Burgess said, "Prior to that dedication, the Prescott Airport already had a history." As far back as 1913, she said, "there was a need for some kind of landing field in Prescott." [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Dewey-Humboldt Council begins process for assessing property values

[Source: Doug Cook, Daily Courier] -- The Dewey-Humboldt Town Council Tuesday took the first step toward possibly buying nine properties in historic downtown Humboldt. In a 4-1 vote, the council hired Prescott-based appraiser Scott Larsen to determine the value of the approximately 3 acres along Main Street. Mayor Earl Goodwin said the town will pay Larsen between $7,500 to $8,500 for the appraisal, which will require six to eight weeks to complete.

The estate of the late Sal Mennuti owns these properties. Members of the estate are collaborating with Town Attorney Kenton Jones to discuss the town's potential purchase of the lands and its accompanying buildings, which date to the early 1900s. Councilman Floyd Wright, who voted against hiring an appraiser, questioned whether the town could resell the properties even if they were bought at a negotiated price. "Some are wondering if it's within the purview of the council to spend monies on this," Wright said. "Perhaps it should be done through grants with the Humboldt Historical Society." Goodwin disagreed, saying the appraiser's lone job is to determine the value of the properties' buildings based on their location, zoning and condition. A town building official will accompany the appraiser to determine the structures' stability. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Prescott Capital Needs Committee conducts first meeting

[Source: Cindy Barks, Daily Courier] -- From non-profit leaders to former City Council members to small business owners to retirees, the new committee responsible for looking into a possible city bond issue has plenty of diversity. The group, which the city initially tagged the Blue Ribbon Committee, conducted its inaugural meeting Wednesday afternoon at Prescott City Hall. And before the hour-long kick-off meeting ended, the group had not only chosen a chairman, vice chairman and secretary, but had also changed its name and its meeting location.

At 21 members, the group is relatively large, and members were conscious of that when they pushed for a chairman that would keep meetings moving along briskly. Ultimately, members chose United Way Executive Director Tammy Linn to chair the meetings. Bob Weiss of Yavapai Title will serve as vice chairman, while long-time Prescottonian and preservation advocate Elisabeth Ruffner will serve as secretary. The three group leaders were among the appointments that the seven Prescott City Council members made to the committee. After their January goal-setting retreat, council members agreed to form the committee to look into a possible November election for a bond issue to pay for a host of necessary city projects. Each council member made three appointments to the committee, bringing the total to 21. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

City of Sedona gambling with its Arizona Heritage Fund grant

[Source: Sedona.biz] -- The Sedona Cultural Park may have closed its doors five years ago, but it's ghost is alive and well in the guise of the Barbara Antonsen Memorial Park and Pavilion. Plans to plop a geodesic dome in the midst of a recreational overbuilt Posse Ground Park (populated with 16 various courts, fields, underutilized teen center, dog park, swimming pool, elementary school and unregulated skateboard park bordered by two of Sedona’s longest established neighborhoods and one exclusive and relatively new subdivision) are moving along rapidly with the help of the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

The matching grant of $586,600 was awarded to the City of Sedona for fiscal year 1995-1996 and, in turn, given to the non-profit organization responsible for establishing and maintaining the Sedona Cultural Park project. However, the City neglected to protect its interest by securing the grant in the event that the Cultural Park defaulted (and when it did, the City had no recourse). Included in this grant were; a two level amphitheatre, site preparation, sod, stage utilities, tree preservation, landscaping irrigation, fencing, lighting, ticket area, picnic/shade ramadas, tables and benches, restrooms, roads, lights, sewer, potable water, gas, electric, telephone and signage. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]