New Downtown Park Proposal Approved by City Mayor and Council

TUCSON, AZ – Tucson’s Mayor and Council recently approved a development and maintenance agreement for a new park between the City of Tucson and Intermountain Centers for Human Development. The new park will be one of the only parks, west of the Mississippi, designed to accommodate those on the autism spectrum and will include elements for those individuals with physical disabilities.

The park will be located downtown, adjacent to Intermountain’s new Integrated Care Center for Children at 401 N. Bonita Ave. The master plan for the park was designed by The WLB Group and will include five distinct “zones” featuring sensory playscapes and equipment.

The park will be developed in several phases consisting of the development of the master plan, installing turf and fencing, and construction of the remaining components of the master plan as funds become available; it is Intermountain’s responsibility to install the turf field and fencing. The City and Intermountain Centers will pursue a variety of funding mechanisms to include, but not limited to, grants, donations and impact fees or bonds.

The park will also include a separate sensory play space for younger kids (2-5 years old) who are on the autism spectrum. This play space will include equipment that encourages socialization and sensory discovery. The sensory play space will be part-funded via a gift from the Marshall Foundation.