Second phase of new Tempe park opens up for visitors

Reported by: Heather Turner

TEMPE, AZ -- The City of Tempe opened up the second phase of their Sixth Street Park Monday morning.

The expansion of the park replaces more than three acres of asphalt by adding grass, plazas, trees and art in the heart of Downtown Tempe Mill Avenue District.

A new parking garage with more than 400 parking spaces, retail and restaurants space was built to help implement a plan that would accommodate current and future visitors.

"The park will be a place for people to come and relax in a nice, 2-acre grassy park," said Kris Baxter, communications director for the City of Tempe.
 
“Residents, visitors, students and employees who work in Tempe all need places to relax, to enjoy themselves, and get out in the open air,” added Mayor Hugh Hallman.
 
The park, located between Fifth and Sixth Streets between Forest Street and City Hall, was designed to help add to Tempe’s vision of “Sustainable Tempe,” Baxter said. 

City officials said the project was sparked by a study from Project for Open Spaces and help from Tempe residents, which gave specific guidelines on how to build a sustainable community.

“Residents, Council and staff have worked together to plan for retaining open spaces and making connections between those open spaces to keep our entire community an inviting place," Hallman said.

The completed first phase of the park has been used by students at the Phoenix Metro Islamic School for sports and recess, and also by residents nearby as a place to go relax, Baxter said.

It has also been used by the Tempe Festival of the Arts and Tempe Empty Bowls.

The park was built by McCarthy Construction and designed by landscape architect Vollmer Associates with concept design by City Architect Mark Vinson.