New chapter rises on Litchfield Park’s historic hill

By Steve Stockmar
Mail |
Instagram: steve.stockmar

By Monday morning, one of the oldest hills in Litchfield Park had something it had never seen before: hundreds of students heading off to school just steps away from residents lining up to explore a brand-new public library.

The dual grand opening of the Litchfield Park Library and The Hilltop School for the Arts marked more than just the debut of two new buildings. It represented a community embracing its future while honoring a hilltop whose story stretches back more than a century.

According to the Litchfield Park Historical Society, the property’s history began in 1919 when Goodyear executive Paul Litchfield purchased what would become Rancho La Loma. The family’s hilltop retreat grew over the following decades into a collection of homes where generations gathered for holidays and reunions. The family donated the 20-acre estate to the city in 2008 with the stipulation that it benefit the community.

That vision came to life Monday.

Residents wandered through the new 10,000-square-foot library, a $5 million project perched atop the historic hill, browsing shelves and admiring reading areas before the doors formally opened.

Steven Hauptmann, who has lived in Litchfield Park for seven years, was among those eager to take a first look.

“It’s great, I love it,” Hauptmann said. “This is beautiful. The old library was nice. It was in the downtown, but we kind of outgrew it. And with the school, I’m excited for the performing arts building.”

Jenifer Weskalnies, director of architecture at ADM Group, said the project was designed with the property’s history firmly in mind.

“The work happening here at The Hilltop reflects a commitment to restoring and reestablishing this historic area as a vibrant gathering place for generations to come,” she said.

Maricopa County funded construction of the library after former District 4 Supervisor Clint Hickman championed the project. His successor, Vice Chair Debbie Lesko, said libraries continue to serve as vital community gathering places.

“Libraries are just a great meeting place for people,” Lesko said. “It’s where children come and get their books. It’s where they learn to read. Adults come here for different programs. And families come here to gather together.”

Litchfield Park Mayor Tom Schoaf called the library a “tremendously important building” for the city and noted another accomplishment.

“You’re standing in a building that came in on budget and it got done on time,” Schoaf said.

Just a short walk away, another milestone unfolded as students gathered for the opening ceremony at The Hilltop School for the Arts, the Agua Fria Union High School District’s newest campus and the first tuition-free public arts high school of its kind in the region.

Principal Julie Jones, Arizona’s 2018 Principal of the Year, addressed the gathered crowd while students assembled along the school’s second-floor balconies overlooking the ceremony below.

“At Hilltop our mission is simple: artistry to industry,” Jones said. “We believe that artistic talent is more than passion. It is a pathway to meaningful careers and lifelong success.”

The school welcomes students from across Arizona through a portfolio and audition process and offers professional pathways in disciplines ranging from cinematography, dance and theater to visual arts, music production and vocal performance. An adjacent 700-seat performing arts center is scheduled to open Oct. 1, bringing concerts, theatrical productions and other cultural events to the Southwest Valley.

As another nod to the location’s past, the school’s home mascot is the Peacocks. According to Paul Litchfield’s daughter Edith, her dad brought a pair of peacocks to the hill shortly after the original house was built, and new generations continue to nest west of the main house today.

Steve Stockmar can be reached at sstockmar@iniusa.org. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@inusua.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Residents get their first look inside the new Litchfield Park Library Monday, Aug. 3.

(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)

The 10,000-square foot library cost $5 million.

(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)

Balloons are released after the official ribbon cutting to open the new Hilltop School for the Arts on the first day of school, Aug. 3.

(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)

The Hilltop School for the Arts will admit up to 500 students in its first year through a portfolio and audition process.

(Independent Newsmedia/Steve Stockmar)

Steve Stockmar
News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment YourValley.net

sstockmar@iniusa.org

Meet Steve
Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.

Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.

Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.

Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.

Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.