Strategic plan approved by Apache Junction parks, recreation commission

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

The final draft of the city of Apache Junction’s parks and recreation strategic plan was recently approved by a city commission.

The Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Commission voted 5-0 to approve the 14-page document. Vice Chair Diele Kyhn and Commissioner Manny Vega were absent.

“I think it’s ready to go. It really looks professional, which gives a lot of credibility to it,” Commissioner Frank Schoenbeck said before voting. “If it doesn’t look right no matter what you have inside of it doesn’t mean much. But the fact it does look professional will get it the attention it deserves.”

The final draft shows some key achievements from last fiscal year — July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 — and some strategies for the current year.

“This is an important document to us,” Parks Director Langenbach, Liz said prior to the vote. “Following the city’s general plan and the important goals, we also use this in our budget document that goes out and it’s utilized by our auditors. It has the key strategies that are also emphasized in the budget each year so they pull those directly from this.”

The commission recommends regulations and policies for the government, control and improvement of public parks. The commission also recommends use fees for public park facilities and other changes for the city parks and recreation program. There are seven members who must be city residents.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.