Queen Creek breaks ground on new 85-acre Frontier Family Park
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Not only do our parks provide an opportunity to get outside and be active, but they are also a great place to get to know your neighbors and continue to make Queen Creek such a welcoming place to call home.”
Queen Creek has broken ground on the new 85-acre Frontier Family Park located off Signal Butte, north of Queen Creek Road.
The groundbreaking took place on Tuesday, Aug. 23 and the park will offer a variety of new and expanded amenities.
“Frontier Family Park will be the largest park in Queen Creek at 85-acres and will include many exciting amenities that help contribute to the overall quality of life we enjoy here in Queen Creek,” Queen Creek Vice Mayor Jeff Brown said during the groundbreaking. “Not only do our parks provide an opportunity to get outside and be active, but they are also a great place to get to know your neighbors and continue to make Queen Creek such a welcoming place to call home.”
The building of Frontier Family Park, as well as an expansion of Mansel Carter Oasis Park, will take place in two phases.
During Phase 1, Frontier Family Park, formerly known as East Park, will feature an inclusive play area, five-acre fishing lake, lighted ball fields, picnic areas, splash pad, and basketball and volleyball courts. New amenities include 24 pickleball courts and a 1.5-mile multiuse path that will span the perimeter of the park. The park was designed by J2 Engineering and will be built by Hunter Contracting. It is set to open by the end of 2023,
The development of the remainder of Mansel Carter Oasis Park also is part of Phase 1.
Originally, East Park was slated to be called the Queen Creek Sports Complex. In the intervening years before plans to build the park were solidified, the town saw the emergence of the Barney Family Sports Complex and Legacy Sports Park (also known as Bell Bank Park). The park was renamed Frontier Family Park to avoid confusion.
Phase 2 is anticipated to be the combined aquatic and recreation center on the north end of Frontier Family Park along Ryan Road. It is expected to open in spring or summer of 2024.
The current fiscal year budget includes a large increase in spending for parks and trails infrastructure. The town has budgeted $172.1 million for the items, up from $25.9 million for fiscal year 2021-2022.
In December, the council voted to approve funding for Phase 1 of the Park Master Plan. The 2021 Citizen Survey showed that 81% of Queen Creek residents reported visiting a town park during the past year, with 33% visiting a park more than 10 times. In a separate survey conducted earlier this year, 75% of residents reported wanting a town aquatic center and/or multigenerational center.
“The town council has continued to prioritize public safety and transportation,” the late Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney stated at the time. “Thanks to significant progress in those areas – with more to come – and fiscally responsible planning, we are in a position to expand our recreational facilities to meet the needs of our community.”
In April, town council approved authorizing a $138 million debt issue to fund Phase 1. The funds are set to pay for:
New land acquisition (Jorde Property) - $23 million
Frontier Family Park - $40 million
Mansel Carter Oasis Park expansion - $10 million
Recreation center at Frontier Family Park - $40 million
Aquatics center at Frontier Family Park - $25 million
However, market rates have been volatile this year and the town only was able to sell $113 million of the $138 million authorized amount within the interest rate parameters originally approved by the town council. As a result, the council voted in June to authorize the sale of the balance of the debt issue to fund park construction and expansion under fiscal terms that benefit the town.
The town issued $25 million in supplemental debt at the lowest interest rates available. The authority to finalize the specifics of the debt issue was given to the town manager and/or the finance director/chief financial officer.
To best address the increasing interest rate environment, town staff recommended an emergency clause as a part of approval of the resolution. This allows staff to lock in a favorable interest rate and not have to wait for the standard 30-day period.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley @AzNewsmedia
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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