Master Plan
A draft Master Plan, current as of February 24, 2021, has been created to help solicit public comments on a variety of park improvement projects.
An open-house meetings will be held in February, 2021 in order for the District to receive feedback on both short and long-term planning efforts. Through collaborative meetings with adjacent property owners, homeowner’s associations, and other interested stakeholders, these meetings will provide opportunities for groups to address concerns and help the County better form an adaptive re-use plan that will serve the needs of a park for area residents and visitors.
Long-term planning for adaptive re-use may potentially include:
1. Re-establishing natural drainage in areas within regulatory floodplains to address stormwater harvesting and mitigate the effects of local drainage from adjacent subdivisions.
2. Controlling invasive and non-native vegetation species, and develop a landscape plan to restore the riparian canopy. The County anticipates working with the University of Arizona’s School of Landscape Architecture to accomplish this task.
3. Identifying areas where improvements would be desirable including benches, path improvements, etc.
History
After the private donation of the golf course to the Regional Flood Control District, various Pima County departments started to develop a Maintenance Plan to identify and prioritize both short and long-term goals.
The County identified various short-term maintenance goals, which included:
1. Addressing erosion problems, sediment removal, vegetation and tree trimming, and safety improvements including signage and handrails where necessary.
2. Developing a Maintenance Plan for weed and vegetation control, establishing firebreaks, and addressing buffer areas.
3. Grading various areas to allow for drainage or infiltration of stormwater at former golf course related depressions.
Pima County thoroughly evaluated the Canoa Hills site with respect to addressing maintenance needs and is working in conjunction with the Green Valley Council to keep residents and interested stakeholders updated while accomplishing these goals.
The Green Valley Council can be contacted through
email or by telephone; (520) 648-1936
News Articles
"County memo shows details about proposed Canoa Hills Park" - Green Valley News, March 27, 2018
"New Green Valley park open, but lots of work ahead" - Green Valley News, January 17, 2019
"Parks friends and county ready to press forward" - Green Valley News, November 21, 2019
"Pima County looking to hear from GV residents on park's future" - Green Valley News, February 3, 2021
Press Releases
"Flood Control District seeking input on master plan for Canoa Hills Trails Open Space Park" - Pima County Communications, January 27, 2021
Tucson Audubon
Freeport-McMoRan recently awarded the Tucson Audubon Society a community investment grant to perform several habitat restoration and improvement projects at Canoa Hills Trails park in collaboration with a variety of local partners. Final project details have not been fully established, but improvements will include a new lined water feature near the former driving range, a pollinator garden, and stormwater detention and run off work that will grow appropriate native vegetation for bird and wildlife habitat and may include an ephemeral wetland. Additional project sites will occur throughout Green Valley.