By Rusty Bradshaw
Independent Newsmedia

The project to revitalize Sun City’s common exterior walls has generated so much support from the community it may be ahead of schedule for completion.

The project, coordinated by the Sun City Residents Action Program Walls Committee, was originally projected to take 10 years to complete. But donations to the effort have been so successful it appears to be ahead of schedule.



“We have had lots of wonderful community support,” Pam Schwartz, Sun City Home Owners Association board president said. “The time table for the project has changed because of this.”

Lloyd Maple, Walls Committee chairman, said nearly 20 percent of the common exterior walls have been completed in the first year. The group has no plans to slow down.

“We will begin work on Olive Avenue between 99th and 103rd avenues,” Mr. Maple said.

The eastern section of those walls will be painted rather than just cleaned because there is so much graffiti and mismatched colors from earlier graffiti coverings, he explained.

The committee’s efforts so far have completed about three miles, or 100,000 square feet, of walls, according to Mr. Maple. He estimates that leaves about 12 more miles of walls to paint before the project is completed.
While some of the early work was done by volunteers, the committee contracted later work to Art Goudy of Artistic Painting. Unfortunately, Mr. Goudy died from cancer recently, but his son, Cameron Arnett, agreed to continue the work started by his father.

The Walls Committee started its efforts on the east side of 99th Avenue north of Union Hills Drive to Concho Circle.

“With limited funds, we still wanted to get the wall painted quickly so everyone would see how much better the walls could look with a new coat of paint,” Mr. Maple said.

Other locations completed include the south side of Bell Road from 98th Avenue to Burns Drive, 15 sections of the north side of Olive Avenue, the east side of 99th Avenue from Union Hills Drive to Lindgren Avenue and both sides of Lindgren Avenue, Alabama Avenue on the east side of 99th Avenue, the west side of Burns Drive just south of Willowcreek Golf Course, the east side of 99th Avenue from Grand Avenue south to the fire station and the east wall on 99th Avenue from Lindgren Avenue south to the fire station.

In addition to resident volunteers, Wells Fargo Bank and APS contributed volunteers during some painting sessions.

“Volunteers do help keep the cost down,” Mr. Maple said. “We found that  working together there was great camaraderie and lots of fun.”

But to complete the work, the committee continues to need contributions. Send donations to SCHOA, 10401 W. Coggins Drive, Sun City, AZ 80531. Make check payable to SCRAP or write “walls” in the memo portion of the check.