Efforts to restore Valley of the Moon under way
by Ryn Gargulinski on Aug. 28, 2008, under Calendar, Local, SpecialSept. 5 fundraising event at Hotel Congress
A gnome in the Enchanted Garden at Valley of the Moon
Valley of the Moon is still shooting for the moon with the makeover and restoration of the 1920s-era fantasyland.
The journey is well on its way, said spokesman Charlie Spillar, and it’s not stopping at rebuilding a troll bridge or a rabbit hole at the midtown park.
Valley of the Moon, 2544 E. Allen Road, will be moving into the future with new additions, fresh landscaping and even compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“The Tucson community is doing amazing things to help restore their treasure,” Spillar said.
Folks can help even further by attending a fundraising concert at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St., on Sept. 5.
The family-friendly event starts at 6 p.m. and will feature nine local bands and performance artist Mat Bevel.
The suggested donation is $5, with children under 12 admitted free.
Valley of the Moon, colloquially known as the Moon, has been deteriorating for a number of years.
In January, more than 500 people showed up for a Pro-Neighborhoods event to start raising the anticipated $500,000 needed to stop the Tucson treasure from crumbling into Moon dust.
Since then, the Moon has received a Pro-Neighborhoods grant as well as a sizable donation from an anonymous donor.
They helped pay for an assessment from Burns Wald-Hopkins Shambach Architects, a firm known for its historic preservation work.
“It’s a really interesting piece of Tucson history,” said architect Arthur Stables. “It’s such a neat property. They are doing their best to keep up with it but need some overall guidance.”
Fellow architect David Wald-Hopkins said once the assessment is complete, a planning workshop will be held with the George Phar Legler Society, named for the Moon’s founder.
“It’s not the same as it was when George was there,” Stables said. “Now it has to be approached differently, depending on what they want to do.”
A number of giant statues from now-defunct Magic Carpet Golf will be moved to the Moon. They will be placed in the front, nonhistoric part of the park with help from landscape architect Margaret Joplin, who is known for using recycled materials and native plants.
“She’s one of the most creative people I’ve met in a long time,” Spillar said.
He said business consultant Frank Niprikas is also on board and the Moon has been awarded nearly 50 volunteers from the United Way Days of Caring program.
A Sept. 27 fundraiser will be held at the Hut, 305 N. Fourth Ave., the club that agreed to take on Magic Carpet’s three-story tiki head.
One more plug for the Moon came in the form of a French film crew that shot footage there for a future project.
“It really is an extraordinary children’s fantasy land,” Wald-Hopkins said. “Preserving it for future generations of children is a lovely idea.”
For more information and upcoming events, visit www.valleyofthemoon.info.
