Utilize canal system better, for parks, sport fishing, retail shop frontage, etc.
James Gifford
shared this idea
20 comments
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JW
commented
Sport fishing is critically important. I love the outdoors! Can't wait to get out in the open and try my new toy: http://www.bbgunsguide.com.
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Steve Shea
commented
i agree with greenery along the canal path. However, I believe the first step is to get property owners to maintain properties fronting the canal, particularly in the area of university and consolidated canal where the apartments are. Apartment complex is not regularly maintaining their basins. In addition, the canal in this area is littered with dog ****. Running down this side of the canal is like playing hop scotch. Is there something the city can do to enforce the maintenance of the apartment basins and removal/education of residents to pick up dog ****. On the canal between 8th street and stapley are unattended properties that are not regularly maintained. On every utility bill is a $5 environmental assessment that is for the maintenance of retention basins. Most retention basins around the City are beautifully maintained. However the basin on the north side of the canal between 8th street and Stapley is not regularly maintained. The City should tap into this fund and put this retention basin on regular maintainence plan so that it is being maintained on par with other retention basins around town
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Anonymous
commented
No one wants to ride their bike in one, long unending desert and concrete path. We need desert-friendly trees such as mesquites to create a better biking, walking and entertaining environment. Public art, gardening on the periphery where there is currently miles of gravel, and doggie bags to clea-up after pets would be a great way to improve the Western Canal system. Could this be a coordinated effort by many neighbors to each do their part and perhaps have some of this funded by small grants? Also, this spans Tempe and Gilbert and borders Chandler, so there is a real opportunity to partner and coordinate a large effort.
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Luis
commented
@anon: There is stuff in progress, but I agree there could be more. Take a look at this thread: http://imesa.mesaaz.gov/forums/97091-imesa-ideas/suggestions/1669005-create-better-riding-paths-
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Anonymous
commented
You need to look at cities like St george , Utah and all the paved biking trails they have put in for there winter visitors to year round enjoyment. I cant believe that the city allowed the city of Lehi to dictate if they can put in a paved bike trail system through there community. Lehi looks horrible and putting in a paved multi use trail only enhances the value of your home because people look for that when buying a home..Parks. trails...Lehi ought to be ashamed of there city for allowing this and the city lost there funding because of some quad riders and Lehi residents? What is that all about? Fight to get that funding back and allow another town meeting about putting in a multi use trail. It does not promote rift raft.....
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Anonymous
commented
The city of Mesa is behind the times. Most cities have a 20 to 50 mile bike system.
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Anonymous
commented
You need to utilize your canals or outside the canals for a paved bike trail that the whole city could use. Dobson 202 going through Lehi NE and than south on the 202. This city has no extensive bike trail system. How do you draw visitors here when there is no place to safely ride with your family...This should be in your budget to promote excercise and ride your bike to work not on the streets of brown road.
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CG
commented
Please consider these improvments, we need a safe place to enjoy our bike rides... Gilbert has nice wlak/riding paths.... Mesa's are an eye sore with all the CHAIN LINK FENCING!!! Let's IMPROVE our city
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JAU
commented
The theme should be austerity - and can you self-fund the initiatives? I am all for creating opportunities but not for 'fluff' at a time when times are tough. Any of this generates revenuefor the city? It is not about build it and they will come... Who can afford these luxuries today?
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BMont
commented
There are a lot of great points being thrown around. Adding more green to the city would be a major plus for the city. The city has been doing a good job the last few years in the wake of the recession, but needs to take a better look at how to improve social living and making the city a destination. Xeriscape is a great idea, however, I like trees, shade, cooled areas. I'm sure the city could partner with an array of agencies, companies, organizations to hold plant a tree days through out the city. Maybe include it in the Villages concept and tailor certain plants for certain areas. Reducing the affect of our Concrete jungle would be a great win for the city for years to come.
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hpr21
commented
Great points Professor. Innovative way to look at the treatment plant. Maybe the city can think of that when they build the cubs facility. Too bad they do not have any foresight to see how big this area could be by building the practice fields elsewhere. I agree and disagree with Nathan to a point. Agree that land near the canal should be opened to high density housing and retail/office space. Disagree about the trees. SRP thought by taking out the huge trees along the canals would save water. I cant find the study, but an ASU professor did a study on trees that suck water vs. water evaporating and being concreted in. Case study showed that the same amount of water made it down street with trees, but the current canal system made the water hotter and lose more water as they heated up. Historically, the valley canals also created mini micro climates of cool spaces with the water, shade and breeze. It was a natural cooling system that would help our city to cool down in some areas. But housing and retail should not be focused along the whole canal, but in strategic areas of urban villages that will allow for recreation and innovation to be had. We have this great amenity that is only used as infrastructure that could be an economic and tourist attraction if there were some leadership in this city.
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Professor
commented
I agree. We have a wonderful resource here in the valley but the bureaucracy has such a hold on these resources. Could you imagine a slightly wider section of a canal that has shopping on both sides along with gondola rides, choreographed music and light show as a community attraction (of course gently off of the main canal and a lazily meandering flow that allows group (natural gas powered) boat rides up and back along the shop fronts and restaurants. We need to integrate these community resources with recreation before the water use. In short the water is borrowed for a short while to integrate the resource into recreation and economic development. PS the wastewater treatment plant at Riverview has 20 million gallons per day of treated effluent water that is simply drained into percolation basins on the Indian side of the 202. This could be emptied into a canal, allowed to meander on the Riverview side to create an island paradise with shops, restaurants, boat rides and even an island before it is emptied into the percolation basins to refill the aquifer.
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sam_
commented
There is a canal north of brown that continues past the cubs stadium and towards Riverview shopping - but it is stopped cold by a golf course of all things. Something should be done about that, to make a continuous East/West path - they are always the hardest to find. There are smaller two lane North / South roads, but getting East/West takes plenty of weaving and crossing of major streets.
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jocelyn
commented
Some stretches of the canals are very nicely landscaped with wide, paved sidewalks, lights and even water fountains. Having nice canals everywhere encourages people to get out and run, bike, or whatever and feel safe. Also, it seems some nice low/no maintenance plants could be planted, too.
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hpr21
commented
I was apart of the Canalscapes projects with Dr. Nan Ellen. Some great opportunities along the canals to build an identity like no other. I just dont know if the vision is there from city hall due to so much going on and focus in other areas at this time. Also, there needs to be an interactive part with the water. For instance, the canals were areas of gathering, fishing, swimming etc 50-60 yrs ago. They gathering spots to cool off under the shade. But SRP ripped the mature trees and concrete them in.
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Nathan Washburn
commented
Lots of cities feature their canals as retail space (the River Walk in San Antonio, TX) housing developments (the canals in Venice Beach, CA) as well a green spaces/paths. With proper development, the canal system could be one of the most attrative features of Mesa. At the very least, the canals should be lined with low water consumption trees and lights, crossing lights (for safely crossing the intersected roads) shoud be installed, and the city should find a way to connect the different canals so that they form one continous system (I know the Mesa Country Club intersects the canal which prevents canal users east of Country Club from takking the canal to the Riverview shopping development). A more agressive approach - where we open the canal to developers for retail and/or housing should also be considered.
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Luis
commented
Already progress being made!
I don't know if this suggestion had anything to do with it, but there are new paths being paved. -
David Sheppard commented
Wnderful idea except for the retail side of it. Phoenix has an extensive bike/jog/walk system. Much of it planted and maintained by their Parks and Recreation Department. They (Phoenix) are planning more renovation and extension of their canal system. It would be great to connect to that system. I utilized the system myself for years, and it's a safe and healthy way to getout and aboput with (little or no) traffic interferrance.
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Luis
commented
Even on a really small scale things could be improved greatly.
There are a few areas that have pavement and lighting on one side that make great biking routes. Would be great to see this extended and connected on more of the canals.
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Daniel Wohlslagel / Duke Manor Mesa
commented
Great idea that is being talked about in other communities also. http://canalscape.org/
