A Phoenix committee gathered to discuss ways to make Margaret T. Hance Park a signature destination by increasing visibility through various design measures on June 7.
“Today access to the park is either by accident or ordeal,” said Alan Silverman council member of the Margaret T. Hance Master Plan Steering Committee.
A lot of people don’t know how to get to the park, added Council Member Kris Floor, who said that the committee should also develop a space in the park that is flexible for getting many people in.
Assistant Professor for ASU’s design school, Gabriel Montemayor, who attended the meeting, and some ASU students are collaborating with the committee to bring the master plan to fruition. They are in charge of the specifics of the plan.
“There is marvelous opportunity,” Montemayor said. There are so many parts of the park that don’t feel unique; they feel camouflaged, he said.
Montemayor said he will be in Spain on an ASU study abroad program for design and arts students where he intends to draw inspiration for design and infrastructure, noting that Barcelona is known for its innovative design and infrastructures. Upon his return, he will be fully engaged in planning with the committee, Montemayor said.
The best way to get people in the park is through marketing and advertising, said Council Member Larry Bell. A clear map would also be good for connecting people to various areas of the park, he said, noting that currently, it is difficult to enter the park.
A dog park is one of the things that can activate a park, said Chairwoman Sarah Porter, stressing that it is definitely something that the committee wants to see, though the committee would need to figure out ways to make a dog park self-sustaining.
Hance Park had previously been selected by the Parks and Recreation Board Subcommittee as the site of a new skate park and would receive funding from the Rob Dyrdek Foundation, but due to leakage problems at the park, the project was moved to Cesar Chavez Park located near West Baseline Road and South 35th Avenue.
The next committee meeting is set for Aug. 2 at 3:30 p.m. and is open to the public.
