Category: Neighborhood Watch & Security

Armory Park Activation Team

The heart of the Armory Park neighborhood is, of course, Armory Park itself. Here’s a message from the Downtown Tucson Partnership on what is being done to make it better:

We’ve formed the Armory Park Activation Team which is a focus group designed to address specific issues at Armory Park. The team includes the staff of the Ward 6 Office, Diana Amado; City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Dept. (including Armory Park Senior Center staff), Donna Thomas, Stacey Belhumeur, Lara Hamwey & Greg Jackson; Tucson Police Department (TPD), Lt. Belinda Morales & Capt. Corey Doggett; Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP), Kathleen Eriksen, Russ Stone & Zach Baker; and the Children’s Museum, Hilary Van Alsburg.

DTP UPDATE: 

  • Discussion regarding the importance of cross communication and promotion, Zach Baker
  • Update on safety concerns including campers under the canopy, Russ Stone & Lt. Belinda Morales
  • Additional lighting along 12th Street through the TEP Dusk to Dawn Program, Diana Amado & Zach Baker

TPD UPDATE: 

  • Additional surveillance and presence from TPD, Lt Belinda Morales
  • Coordination between TPD and DTP Safety Ambassadors, Lt. Belinda Morales & Russ Stone
  • Updated stats regarding drug related arrests made in Armory Park (July1 – October 1), Lt. Belinda Morales

CITY UPDATE: 

  • Update on Prop 407 with the community outreach process to begin in six months, Greg Jackson
  • Discussion w/ Children’s Museum regarding North lawn activation, needs to be mission driven (Children’s Museum) and needs City and neighborhood buy-in and support, Greg Jackson & Diana Amado
  • Parks & Rec hired a new intern to lead programming efforts and establish a streamlined (and free) process for park events/reservations. Intern to work closely with DTP staff for business contacts for fitness classes and cross promotional efforts, Stacy Belhumeur & Zach Baker
  • Discussion regarding the need to extend contracted security at Armory Park into the evening hours, Greg Jackson & Donna Thomas

UPCOMING EVENTS @ ARMORY PARK:

·         September 28, 4-6 pm: Ready, Set, Rec

·         September 30, 7:30-8:30 pm: Tucson Pride Parade

·         October 15, 10 am-10 pm: 25th Annual Chili Cook-Off (Tucson Fire Fighters Association)

·         October 22, 9:30 am-12:30 pm: 6th Avenue Asphalt Art Project

·         For a schedule of events and programs inside the Armory Park Center, visit https://www.tucsonaz.gov/parks/armorycenter#schedule.

WHAT’S NEXT?

·         We will continue to stay in touch with you via email to let you know about events, activations and other opportunities to get involved. 

We’re excited with the momentum and look forward to the continued activation at Armory Park! Thank you for your support and feel free to reach out to DTP with any questions, ideas or concerns.

With much appreciation, Kathleen

Kathleen Eriksen, President & CEO

Downtown Tucson Partnership

Monthly APNA Meeting Tuesday 9/10/19 at 6:30 PM

A reminder that this month’s APNA meeting will take place Tuesday, September 10, at St Andrew’s Parish Hall. And don’t forget: the starting time for APNA meetings is now 6:30 PM! Come and hear what’s going on in the neighborhood! Tucson Police Department reps will be there to discuss neighborhood safety issues.

Here’s the agenda: APNA Agenda 8_13_19

APNA’s 8/13/19 Agenda: Additions

Two additions to the agenda for Tuesday’s APNA meeting:

1. The Tucson Police Department will have a training session on crime prevention near the end of August. Office Zarnick will give us a 5 minute overview at 8:00 PM.

2. Joanna Smith with Benefest will give us an overview at 8:30 PM of the Benefest music festival scheduled for October 12.

APNA General Meeting 3/12/19

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APNA’s next meeting is Tuesday 3/12, 7:00 PM, at St. Andrew’s Church Parish Hall, the corner of S 5th Ave and E 16th St. Come and hear what’s going on in the neighborhood and downtown. Guest speakers include Tucson Police Chief Magnus.

Here’s the agenda:

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Do We Want the Dusk Music Festival in Armory Park This Year?

Dti0haqUUAA4hlJA message and a request from APNA President Anne Cooper:

As many of you know we had Page Repp, promoter of the Dusk festival, come to the APNA meetings in December and last night to discuss the 3 main concerns that arose from the Dusk festival last November. To reiterate they were:
1) Noise
2) Access and
3) Start/end time of festival

Continue reading “Do We Want the Dusk Music Festival in Armory Park This Year?”

WANTED: Tucson Police Volunteers!

A message from Community Resource CSO Monica Van Norman, Tucson Police Department: “Here is an opportunity for you, our community members, to become more involved in helping Tucson Police Officers make our communities safer. A workshop will be held February 15th, 6-8 pm for those of you who would like to join TPD’s volunteer team, or if you’re thinking about it and would like more information on the program.”

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A Day in the Park with the Tucson Police 12/8/18

11174550_GPlease join the Tucson Police Department for “A Day in the Park with TPD” this Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm at Santa Rita Park. They will be in the park with several different static displays from their SWAT Team, Bomb Squad, Rapid Response Team, K9 and others. Tucson Fire Department will also be in attendance with one of their Engine trucks.

Food and activities will be on hand for everyone. Please come by and thank the police department for their service!

APNA’s 11/13/18 Meeting: Crime, Armory Park, Dusk Festival

Some notes from APNA President Anne Cooper about last Tuesday’s general meeting:
We had representatives from the police department and Pima County attorneys office discuss crime in the neighborhood and how we can continue our dialogue to make Armory Park a safe neighborhood. We will continue to actively partner with them to ensure the police coverage we are enjoying continues.
(please see police incident report below).
We had a continued discussion about Armory Park and in particular the Dusk Festival. As a followup to this and the listserv discussions, I have invited and confirmed Brent Dennis (the head of Parks and Rec), Steve Kozachik (Ward 6 councilman) and Greg Jackson (city managers office who approves special permits for Armory Park) to the next APNA meeting on December 11th. I will send out reminders in advance so that we can get as many people who want, to attend. Come with your questions and solutions – we want this to be a fruitful discussion.

Continue reading “APNA’s 11/13/18 Meeting: Crime, Armory Park, Dusk Festival”

Armory Park, Gentrification, CBI, Crime, Board Elections

Updates from APNA President Anne Cooper:
1) Rio Nuevo and the city are actively looking at upgrading Armory Park back to its look from the 1940’s. More grass, a new band shell, and different seating. This is not a done deal and Fletcher McCusker of Rio Nuevo will have to work with the city on several issues. With this in mind, the idea is to create a more lively and active Armory Park. It is the only downtown park and has been a great resource for many activities throughout the years. Parking is and will be a problem and one that Rio Nuevo is aware of and is willing to work with us on. They are the group that created the parking system for the barrio near the Tucson Convention Center and have offered to promote a similar system for the Armory Park Neighborhood. More to come on this.
2) There was a gentrification seminar held last month in the Dunbar Springs neighborhood. Gentrification is a real issue for Tucson, especially with the development in downtown. It is not an easy issue, as many cities throughout the United States have been affected by it. How cities stay vibrant through development while keeping older, established communities affordable is a dilemma no one has fully tackled. There will be a symposium by the Southwest fair housing council on Oct 26th to start to address some of these issues. Further gentrification seminars will take place and I will keep you posted on their date/time and location.

Continue reading “Armory Park, Gentrification, CBI, Crime, Board Elections”

DRAFT Minutes of 9/11/18 APNA Meeting

20180911_192955We have had a lot of requests for minutes from last Tuesday’s general membership meeting. Here are the DRAFT minutes – they have not been approved by the board but give you a sense of what transpired at the meeting. Please feel free to reach out to any of your board members with questions or comments.
Begin DRAFT minutes.

Continue reading “DRAFT Minutes of 9/11/18 APNA Meeting”