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New Soleri Footbridge Dedicated at Scottsdale Waterfront
Soleri Bridge
New Soleri Footbridge Dedicated at Scottsdale Waterfront
By: Trevor Freeman
Scottsdale, Arizona recently celebrated the completion of one of the most ambitious public art projects in the city’s history. On Saturday, December 11th, 2010, the new Soleri Footbridge was officially dedicated in Old Town Scottsdale.
The $3.5 million dollar bridge spans the Arizona Canal near Scottsdale Road and Camelback Road in an area known as “The Waterfront.” It is the first of architect Paolo Soleri’s bridges to be completed.
The bridge is 24 feet wide at the south end and 18 feet wide at the north end. It features clean, modern lines that hang low over the water’s surface. The bridge’s basic function is to allow pedestrians, cyclists, and horseback riders to cross the canal safely. However, the bridge also incorporates several features which are appropriate to its desert location including a built-in solar calendar and a gathering plaza with a cast bronze windbell.
The main support for the bridge comes from a pair of 64 foot-tall columns which stand at a near-vertical 80-degree angle. When the sun reaches its highest point of the day (solar noon), its light will shine through a six-inch gap between the supports on to the deck of the bridge. The Soleri Footbridge is proof that art can be both functional and beautiful at the same time.
Paolo Soleri is an architect who is known around the world for his unique style of “arcology,” a term he coined which combines architecture and ecology. Soleri is also the founder of the Cosanti Foundation, a non-profit educational group that oversees Cosanti in Scottsdale and Arcosanti in Mayer, Arizona (approximately 75 miles north of Phoenix).
Both of these facilities aim to promote Soleri’s vision of architecture that is conscious of its environment. They are also functioning studios and galleries where artisans work in bronze casting, ceramics, and earth-formed structures. We would like to congratulate Mr. Soleri and the City of Scottsdale on their tremendous achievements!
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
Encanto Park Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Encanto Park Ceremony
Encanto Park Celebrates 75th Anniversary
By: Trevor Freeman
One of Phoenix’s most unique icons recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. I’m talking about Encanto Park, located on 15th Avenue between Thomas Road and McDowell Road.
As one of Phoenix’s 31 Points of Pride, Encanto Park has received special recognition as a significant landmark in Phoenix’s history and culture. The massive 222-acre park is truly an oasis in the desert with its abundant water features including a 7.5 acre lagoon, boathouse, and public swimming pool.
The idea for the park came about in 1934 from millionaire philanthropist William G. Hartranft, who also served as the first director of the Phoenix Parks and Recreation board. He envisioned a grand city park that would be as iconic as San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park or San Diego’s Balboa Park.
The park’s design and layout incorporates elements from English Garden Parks of the 1920s and 1930s as well as the City Beautiful Movement that took place during the turn of the 20th century.
Over the years, Encanto Park has been upgraded with modern features like picnic areas with barbecue grills, a nature trail, and sports facilities such as a baseball diamond, basketball court, and tennis courts. For over seven decades, it’s been one of the most popular spots for Phoenix residents to eat, play, and relax under the park’s numerous shade trees.
But there’s more to Encanto than just sports and recreation. Encanto Park is also home to Enchanted Island, an amusement park geared towards children of all ages. Enchanted Island has plenty of rides and attractions to choose from such as a historic carousel, train ride, bumper boats, and more. There’s even a water park for those hot summer days!
As the park turned 75 this year, the City of Phoenix put together a big celebration on Saturday, November 27th. The whole day was filled with events such as live music from local artists, activities for kids, and a fireworks display at night.
Encanto Park really has something for everyone. It was voted one of the 12 best parks in America by Forbes Magazine in 2009, and for good reason! In many ways, Encanto is the crown jewel of city parks in Phoenix. If you haven’t been there, I would strongly encourage you to stop by and check it out for yourself!
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
Glendale Glitters Festival of Lights
Glendale Glitters Festival of Light
Glendale Glitters Festival of Lights
By: Trevor Freeman
If you’re not from Arizona, you may find that winters in Phoenix can take some getting used to. When Christmastime rolls around, many find that it’s hard to get into the spirit of the season when there is no snow on the ground. While strings of lights are no substitute for snow, they are the best we have.
The City of Glendale, Arizona gets its residents in the West Valley going every year with a celebration called Glendale Glitters. All 16 blocks of historic downtown Glendale are decorated with over 1.5 million colored lights, making it the largest FREE light display in all of Arizona! You’ll find lights hanging from buildings, trees, lampposts, and everywhere else!
Of course, there’s more to Glendale Glitters than just a lot of festive decorations. Murphy Park in front of Glendale City Hall is a center of activity including live music and dancing, food vendors, and even horse-drawn carriage rides!
The City of Glendale has made this year one of the best yet for coming down to check out the festivities. For the first time ever, two public parking garages are now open in addition to on-street parking. The City Hall garage at 59th Avenue and Glendale Avenue and the Bank of America building garage at 58th Avenue and Glenn Drive both offer premier parking for $10 per vehicle.
The centerpiece is a 30-foot tall Christmas tree loaded with decorations. This year’s tree features a dancing light display that is synchronized to a selection of eight popular Christmas songs.
Come check out Glendale Glitters nightly from 5 to 10pm, now through January 8th, 2011. For more details, please visit http://www.glendaleaz.com/events/
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
Arizona International Auto Show November 25-28 2010
Arizona Auto Show November 1
Arizona International Auto Show 2010
By: Trevor Freeman
November is that special time of year when the weather starts to get cold, families come together for Thanksgiving, and the cars roll into town. By cars, I mean the Arizona International Auto show at the Phoenix Convention Center. This event comes to town each year on Thanksgiving weekend. This year’s show could be the best one yet!
Here’s how it works: for four days, the Phoenix Convention Center fills up with brand-new vehicles from the world’s major automakers. They are on display in a no-pressure environment where prospective buyers can get a feel for them. You can sit down, play with the knobs, adjust the seat, and kick the tires without being hassled by salesmen.
With over 400 cars spread out among 310,000 square feet of space, the 2010 Arizona International Auto Show is a fun way to check out all the latest models while walking off the extra pounds from Thanksgiving.
Besides mass-production vehicles, the Auto Show is also a great place to check out concept vehicles. These one-off models may or may not make it to production, so in some cases this may be your only chance to see them. This year the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 and Chevrolet Camaro LS7 concept vehicles will be on display.
My favorite part of the auto show takes place at the curb in front of the Phoenix Convention Center, where select carmakers have ride-and-drive events set up. This gives you a chance to ride along in or drive a brand new car around downtown Phoenix. Last year, I drove the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS automatic coupe with the 400-horsepower V8. It was such a blast that I was smiling all day long!
Arizona Auto Show November Number 2
Other manufacturers including Ford and Jeep also have ride-and-drive pavilions featuring their latest models. The Jeep exhibit takes passengers over a rough off-road course in a Trail-Rated Jeep vehicle, which is driven by a professional 4×4 driver. At the Ford pavilion, drivers can take the wheel of a brand new 2011 Ford Fiesta, Mustang, Taurus, Edge, F150 pickup, or a Super Duty Diesel truck.
If you’re looking for a great way to spend your Thanksgiving weekend, I highly recommend visiting the Arizona International Auto Show.
Date: November 25-28, 2010
Hours: 9am to 7pm Thursday and Sunday, 9am to 9pm Friday and Saturday
Admission: $9 adults, $5 military, students, seniors, and children 7-12. Children 6 and under are free.
For more information, visit: http://www.motortrendautoshows.com/phoenix/generalinfo.jsp
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
9 Great Books About Arizona
9 Great Books About Arizona
By: Trevor Freeman
If I had to pick just one word to describe Arizona, it would be inspiring. Maybe it’s the variety of landscapes and climates, or perhaps it is the remarkable sunsets. Whatever the reason, there’s just something about Arizona that inspires people to get creative. Here is my list of some cool books about Arizona:
Weird Arizona Book Cover
1. Weird Arizona by Wesley Treat
This book features all of the weird, strange, and unique places you won’t find in other travel guides. Weird Arizona features roadside attractions, haunted places, and all manner of weirdness. Definitely a must-read for those off-the-beaten-path explorers. It also makes a great gift!
2. Moon Handbooks: Arizona by Bill Weir
A dear friend gifted me this excellent travel guide to Arizona. It covers Page to Nogales and everything in between. The best Arizona has to offer in attractions, lodging, and dining are all packed into this extremely portable book. Weir goes a step beyond other travel guides by introducing each of Arizona’s regions with a detailed and contextual history.
3. Phoenix Then and Now by Paul Scharbach and John Akers
Take a trip back through time and see what Phoenix used to look like in its early days. This book takes it a step further with “rephotography” – modern-day photos from the same locations as historical photos. Akers and Scharbach do a masterful job of showing the city’s changing face over time.
4. The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons by John Wesley Powell
Civil War veteran, geologist, and explorer John Wesley Powell was the first man to lead an exploration of the Colorado River Valley in 1869. Powell’s journal records the incredible 1,000 mile journey that led to the first recorded exploration of the Grand Canyon with the soul of a poet and the wit of a scientist.
5. Official Arizona Trivia by Marshall Trimble
As the Official State Historian of Arizona, Marshall Trimble has spent his life preserving the state’s history and culture through his written works. In Arizona Trivia, he recounts the weird, wacky, and unusual facts about the state’s history that you simply won’t find anywhere else!
6. Phoenix: 21st Century City by Edward Booth-Clibborn
This book is a compilation of photographs that highlights the architectural and artistic side of Phoenix as it continues to grow and expand in a seemingly endless sprawl of suburbs. It’s worth owning just for the remarkable photographs of a city that is contstantly in transition and the effects that has on its residents.
7. Arcosanti: An Urban Laboratory? by Paolo Soleri
This Italian-born architect has adopted Arizona as the home for his vision of the future. Arcology is a fusion of architecture and ecology, exhibited at Soleri’s experimental community in Mayer, Arizona and at Cosanti in Scottsdale. His visions of the future are as ambitious as they are grand, which makes for some controversial yet interesting theology.
8. Monumental Places: National Parks and Monuments in the Grand Canyon State by George McNamee
Published by Arizona Highways, this book takes readers on a tour of Arizona’s most famous places. At just 80 pages, the focus of this book is clearly on quality. It features the stunning, award-winning photographs that Arizona Highways magazine is famous for. Great for shutterbugs and Arizona enthusiasts alike.
9. Route 66 Across Arizona by Richard and Sherry Magnum
Check out this comprehensive index of Historic Route 66 in Arizona! From the New Mexico border to the California State Line, this book features maps, photos, and information about the Mother Road’s path through Arizona.
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
Sky Train Coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor
Sky Train Coming to Phoenix Sky Harbor
By: Trevor Freeman
Have you heard about the new project that’s underway at Sky Harbor Airport? It is big, expensive, and very, very cool.
I’m talking about the Sky Train – the new rail system that will link all of Sky Harbor with the Metro Light Rail system that runs between Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa. When completed in 2020, the new trains will ferry passengers from the 44th Street and Washington rail station all the way over to the Rental Car facility at 18th Street and Buckeye Road. The train will make stops at the East Economy parking garages as well as Terminals 2, 3, and 4.
The massive project calls for constructing new stations, trains, and 4.9 miles of elevated track across the entire airport. This will allow travelers to quickly and easily traverse the airport while reducing traffic congestion and pollution on the roadways by up to 20,000 cars per day.
But that’s not even the best part. What has me excited is the stretch of track between the East Economy Garages and Terminal 4, which will open to the public in 2013. Here, the Sky Train will truly live up to its name as it soars 100 feet above the ground on a graceful concrete arch bridge over the jetway.
Yes, you heard that right. The train will cross over a ramp that passenger planes use for taxiing between runways. Passengers will zip along at 35mph in air-conditioned comfort while Boeings and Airbuses roll right beneath their feet. It will be the first and only place in the world where a train crosses over an airplane.
The Sky Train project is massive by any scale: the total cost is estimated at $1.1 billion dollars. Annual ridership is projected to be 10 million people per year. And the fact that the final phase of construction won’t be complete for another 10 years is also a big deal.
When Phase One opens in 2013, you can bet I will be there to go for a ride.This beats the heck out of the Disneyland Monorail I rode as a kid!And unlike Disneyland, the Sky Train will be free of charge and run on a 24-hour schedule.
The Sky Train is an awesome feat of engineering and logistics that will really bring Sky Harbor into the 21st century. I am eagerly looking forward to the project’s completion.
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
Scottsdale Computer Swap Meet
Scottsdale Computer Swap Meet
By: Trevor Freeman
Are you looking to pick up some computer parts and accessories at great prices? If so, you should check out the Scouts Computer Swap Meet in Scottsdale. This regular gathering of buyers and sellers takes place on the third Sunday of the month in Scottsdale.
Conveniently located at Indian Bend Road and the Loop 101 freeway, the Scouts’ swap meet is adjacent to the 5 & Diner restaurant. The event is put on by Troop 446 of the Boy Scouts of America.
The Scouts Computer Swap Meet is the place to go for anything and everything electronic. All manner of computer parts and components can be found nestled among the rows of tables. You might find everything from flat panel monitors to server racks, laptops, desktops, and cables and adapters of all shapes and sizes.
If you are interested in selling off your extra computer parts, the Scouts rent spaces and tables for vendors to sell their wares. Spaces are given on a first-come, first-serve basis, so be sure to get there as early as possible! For current pricing, check the official website listed below.
Finally, the Scottsdale computer swap meet is a great place to donate your unwanted or unused electronics. Westech Recycling will be on hand to recycle everything from TVs to printers. If it has a cord, they’ll take it! This is a great way to safely dispose of your used electronics at no cost.
Check out the next swap meets on these dates:
November 21, 2010 – 5:30am to 10:30am
December 19th, 2010 – 5:30am to 10:30am
Scouts Computer Swap Meet
9069 E Indian Bend Rd
Scottsdale, AZ 85250
http://www.scoutscomputerswapmeet.com
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
10 Things You Can Only Do in Phoenix by Trevor Freeman
10 Things You Can Only Do in Phoenix
By: Trevor Freeman
Like any major city, Phoenix has its share of excellent shopping, dining, and entertainment attractions. But what if you want to do something a little more unique, something a little more…Arizona? In that case, here are ten activities which you can only do in Phoenix.
10. Ride “Desert Storm”
Castles-N-Coasters is the home of Desert Storm, Arizona’s biggest roller coaster and the only one in the state with two inverted loops. Besides the coaster, Castles-N-Coasters also offers other rides, miniature golf, and a two-story arcade.
Hotel San Carlos Phoenix
9. Take a Ghost Tour
The Hotel San Carlos in downtown Phoenix is rumored to be haunted by the spirit of a woman who leapt to her death from the hotel’s roof in the 1930s. The hotel caters to ghost hunters with guided tours running October through December.
8. Climb Camelback Mountain
This Phoenix landmark does sort of look like a camel’s hump, if you squint a little. It is one of the most popular trails in town and provides hikers with an excellent view of Phoenix and the quirky Camelback Castle.
7. Catch a Diamondbacks Game
Nothing is more enjoyable than watching a baseball game on a real grass field – unless of course it were air-conditioned! That’s exactly the case at Chase Field, where the retractable roof opens and closes in just over four minutes.
6. Eat at Pizzeria Bianco
This locally owned pizzeria in downtown Phoenix was voted the Best Pizza in America by New York food critic Ed Levine in 2005. Chef Chris Bianco’s gourmet wood-fired pizzas are a big draw, so grab a drink at the bar while you wait for a table. Wait times can be as long as 2 hours, even on a weeknight!
5. Ride the Light Rail
Valley Light Metro Rail
Phoenix’s light rail system offers 20 miles of track connecting the city with Mesa and Tempe. Take a ride on the smooth and quiet electric train and experience one of Phoenix’s newest icons.
4. Play Golf in December
There’s no question about it, Phoenix is a hotspot for golfers. With over 250 days of sunshine per year and over 150 courses in the greater Phoenix area, you can get in another round at any time of the year.
3. Dine with a Twist
The Compass Restaurant in downtown Phoenix will have your head spinning before you even get to your table! As Arizona’s only revolving restaurant, it makes one full revolution in about an hour. Lunch and dinner are served year round.
2. Visit Hunt’s Tomb
Located in Papago Park near the Phoenix Zoo, Hunt’s Tomb is the final resting place of Arizona’s first Governor. Mr. Hunt served seven terms as Governor of Arizona and is one of the few non-Egyptians to be commemorated with a pyramid.
1. Visit Ro Ho En Japanese Garden
This Japanese garden is one of Phoenix’s best kept secrets. Located above the Interstate 10 “Deck Park” tunnel, the garden features traditional Japanese plants and landscaping that provide a truly relaxing experience.
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Trevor Freeman is a resident of the Phoenix valley and a contributing author to Phoenix.org. He also maintains his own local blog at NorthPhoenixBlog.Blogspot.com.
If you would like to contribute an article to Phoenix.org then please contact our editor at Troy@Phoenix.org.
Desert Birds and Deer Valley Rock Art Center November 2010 Phoenix
Desert Birds and Rock Art
If you like the combination of seeing different species as well as ancient rock art then make sure to make time to visit the Deer Valley Rock Art Center. The facility, nestled on 47 acres of raw land, is home to at least 42 different species of desert birds including turkey vultures, towhees, mockingbirds, black-chinned hummingbirds and white-crowned sparrows and watching them can be beautiful.
The tours start at 9am on November 3rd, 10th, and 17th. It is recommneded that you wear comfortable walking shoes because most of the tour is over a level, cleared trail.
The price to attend is $6.50 with discounts of $3-$4 for seniors and children between the ages of 6-12.
For more information call the Deer Valley Rock Art Center at: 623-582-8007
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