Slide 1 of 4.
Savannah Williams with her petitions
Source: Pima County Communications OfficeSlide 2 of 4.
Savannah Williams with her grandmother, Ina Mapes; Rafael Payan, director of Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation; and Jan Johnson, chair of the Pima County Parks and Recreation Commission
Source: Pima County Communications OfficeSlide 3 of 4.
The certificate recognizing Savannah Williams' efforts to rebuild Catalina Neighborhood Park's playground
Source: Pima County Communications OfficeSlide 4 of 4.
Catalina Neighborhood Park, where the playground equipment was destroyed by fire and will be replaced.
Source: Pima County Communications Office

Savannah Williams and her grandmother, Ina Mapes, could see the black smoke rising as they headed from Tucson back to their home in Catalina in July.

It was only when they got closer and saw the firetrucks that they realized the playground at Catalina Neighborhood Park had burned again – the third time in four years.

“I thought it was really sad that someone would burn down the one thing in Catalina we had to do,” said Savannah, 11, a sixth-grader at Coronado K-8 School. “I wanted to get another one.”

She waited, but when playground equipment was not quickly replaced, she sprang into action. “If they weren’t going to do it on their own, I was going to aid them,” she said.

She created a petition – Help us rebuild our park, it says – and asked fellow students, teachers, administrators and neighbors to sign it. She’s gathered 90 signatures.

“Most of the people have been very supportive,” Savannah said.

Unbeknownst to Savannah, the Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department was already planning to replace the playground equipment. But the department staff and Jan Johnson, a Catalina resident who chairs the County Parks and Recreation Commission, were so impressed by Savannah’s efforts that the commission awarded her a certificate of appreciation at its meeting Friday, Oct. 5, at the Catalina Recreation Center, 16562 N. Oracle Road.

They’re going to let Savannah pick the color of the new equipment. Rafael Payan, the department’s director, said the new equipment should be in place before year’s end.

Now Savannah is planning to create posters to put up around town to try to catch the vandals who burned the park. A $2,500 reward offer has not led to an arrest.

“I think we have to keep rebuilding it to show that they can’t stop us from having our playground,” Savannah said.

For more information about Catalina Neighborhood Park and other County parks, please visit http://www.pima.gov/nrpr/parks/index.htm.

Keep up with Pima County on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pimacountyarizona.

Photo courtesy of Catalina Pool staff

The playground at Catalina Neighborhood Park, 16562 N. Oracle Road in Catalina, was destroyed by fire this afternoon.

Firefighters from the Golder Ranch Fire District put out the fire and saved a nearby ramada.

The playground cost about $35,000 when it was installed in 2000.  Community Development Block Grant funds were used to pay for the project.

Catalina Neighborhood Park playground in 2007

Photo courtesy of Golder Ranch Fire District

Registration for the last two summer sessions of swim lessons at Pima County pools begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday, June 29, and continues through open pool hours.

Swim Lesson Sessions:

III:  July 9 through July 19

IV:  July 23 through August 2

Lessons cost $20 for a two-week session (8 classes).  Classes are available for children as young as 6 months.  Register at your local pool.  A list of pools, locations and phone numbers are at http://www.pima.gov/nrpr/pools/index.htm.

Thanks to a generous donation from the North Tucson Firefighter Association, FREE swim lessons at the Catalina Community Center pool, 16562 N. Oracle Road, will be offered to a limited number of Catalina residents (see attached flier).

Free swim lesson scholarship applications are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Golder Ranch Fire Administration Office, 3885 E. Golder Ranch Drive.  The office is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.  The completed scholarship application must be taken to the Catalina Community Center pool during registration to request the free lessons.

PIMA COUNTY POOLS OPEN JULY 4th

All Pima County pools will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 4.  Bring a can of food to donate to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and get in free.

Last year, Pima County pool visitors contributed 372 pounds of food to the Community Food Bank on July 4.

Pima County, Ariz. (Jan.11, 2012) – Landfills and transfer stations operated by the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Division will be closed on Monday, January 16, for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

All will reopen on Tuesday, January 17.

The closure includes landfills in Sahuarita and Ajo, the Tangerine Landfill and the Catalina and Ryan Field Transfer Stations.

The Solid Waste Administrative office on Ina Road also will be closed on Monday.

For more on the closures please call (520) 243-7400 or go to www.deq.pima.gov.

Pima County, Ariz. (Dec.29, 2011) – Landfills and transfer stations operated by the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Division will be closed from December 31 through January 2 for the New Year’s holiday weekend.

The closures include landfills in Sahuarita and Ajo, and the Tangerine Landfill, and the Catalina and Ryan Field Transfer Stations in the Tucson area.

The county’s Solid Waste Administrative office on Ina Road also will be closed.

For more on the closures call (520) 243-7400 in Tucson or go to www.deq.pima.gov.

Pima County, Ariz. (Dec. 8, 2011) – Landfills and transfer stations operated by the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Division will be closed December 24 through 26 for the Christmas holiday and also from December 31 through January 2 for the New Year’s holiday.

The closures include landfills in Sahuarita and Ajo, the Tangerine Landfill, and the Catalina and Ryan Field Transfer Stations.

The Solid Waste Administrative office on Ina Road also will be closed.

For more on the closures please call (520) 243-7400 or visit www.deq.pima.gov.

Pima County, Ariz. (Nov. 3, 2011) – Landfills and transfer stations operated by the Pima County Department of Environmental Quality Solid Waste Division will be closed on Friday, November 11, for the Veterans Day holiday.

The landfills and transfer stations will reopen the next day,  Saturday, Nov. 12.

The closures include landfills in Sahuarita and Ajo, the Tangerine Landfill and the Catalina and Ryan Field Transfer Stations.

The Solid Waste administrative office on Ina Road also will be closed on Friday. For more on the closures, call (520) 243-7400 or visit www.deq.pima.gov.