We're off and running, and walking, and riding...
The City Council approved a contract with Todd & Associates, Inc. in July 2003 to complete a plan that will address the identification and protection of open space and the planning and development of a non-motorized trail system within the City of Glendale. The multi-disciplinary team of planners, landscape architects, public involvement specialists and an equestrian specialist have been working since that time to develop a comprehensive Open Space and Trails Master Plan that will guide actions for years to come.

What has happened so far?
Investigation: The consultant team has been working closely with staff to listen to and understand citizen needs, investigate and document existing conditions, and to identify specific projects opportunities that will create an interconnected system of open space and trails that meet the needs of citizens and visitors. Already identified trail, path and primary sidewalk corridors have been walked, biked and ridden and a geographic information system (GIS) database is being created that records all the various factors of those corridors that would effect future improvements. Additionally, potential new corridors have been investigated, primarily in west Glendale that may contribute to a trail and open space network that might some day help link the White Tank Mountains to the Agua Fria River and New River, to Skunk Creek and the Grand Canal Linear Park, to the Thunderbird Paseo, Thunderbird Conservation Park, and beyond to Phoenix's new Sonoran Preserve.

Needs Assessment Survey: In Dec. '03, and Jan. and Feb. '04, a phone and mail-in needs assessment survey was conducted by Leisure Vision/ETC Institute. Over 2000 questionnaires were mailed out to a random sampling of Glendale households. Over 400 surveys were completed resulting in a precision of at least +/-4.9%. The survey addressed specific needs for open space, trails, pathways, and pedestrian facilities city-wide as well as similar needs relevant to Thunderbird Conservation Park. The results of this survey will be combined with other public involvement results in order to identify open space lands worthy of protection, identify needed linkages in a trail network, and to prioritize implementation techniques and projects.

According to the survey, walking and jogging is the highest use on Glendale's trails with 27% of the respondents using trails several times per week. When given a list of ten potential goals for improving trails and open space areas in Glendale, the highest scoring goal was providing habitats for wildlife, birds and native plants, with 89% of the respondents believing that goal is very or somewhat important.

This plan will gauge citizen wants & needs through:

• A Needs Assessment survey
• Public presentations, work sessions and focus groups
• Respectful accommodation of a variety of users

Identify a multi-faceted off-street, non-motorized trail, path and pedestrian system comprised of:

• Paved pathways and unpaved trails following rivers, canals, drainage corridors, selected streets and other linear corridors
• Trailheads, nodes and other gathering places
• Underpasses, overpass and other improved crossings
• Pedestrian facility improvements and the identification of pedestrian zones
• Cost estimates for development and maintenance of trails and paths
• General design guidelines for trails, paths and sidewalks

Identify a comprehensive system of meaningful open space comprised of:

• Protected natural areas and improved degraded areas along existing river corridors
• Canal linear parks, both existing and new opportunities in west Glendale
• Thunderbird Conservation Park
• Opportunities for agricultural preservation
• Major street corridor landscape and character improvements
• New open space preservation opportunities
• Implementation and protection strategies
• Provide conceptual design of a park, trail and open space signage system

View the Open Space and Trails Master Plan Map

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For additional information, call Bill Scwind at 623-930-2820.