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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

PHOENIX CITY PARKS ACCESS FEES

GET READY TO OPEN YOUR WALLET (AGAIN)! CITY OF PHOENIX PARKS & RECREATION BOARD APPROVES NEW PARKING FEE PROGRAM Budget shortfalls, layoffs, tanking stocks, earthquakes, floods, fires, plague---now this. Set to roll out in “early fall” 2010, a new City of Phoenix fee program will require visitors at five gated parking areas in South Mountain Park and Phoenix Mountains Preserve to purchase parking passes. Whoa---whoa---let’s keep our whining to a minimum, because the fees will only apply to the busiest and most congested access points, where heavy traffic results in higher maintenance costs. The fees will go toward supporting city parks & recreation programs, keeping access open and affordable and, of course, cleaning up after sloppy dummyheads and their beer cans. Soon, park rangers will begin hosting “meet & greet” events to communicate these changes. Until then---- HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: WHEN: begins in early fall 2010 WHICH LOCATIONS WILL REQUIRE THE FEE: Although more than 30 access/parking areas will remain FREE, the 5 most popular locations will require a fee to park. They are: Pima Canyon, Echo Canyon-Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, Dreamy Draw, North Mountain COST: annual pass: $75, 6-month pass: $50, daily pass: $2 WHERE TO PURCHASE: pass will be available online and at City of Phoenix recreation and community centers. The city has plans to install self-pay kiosks in future. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T PAY UP?: for the first few introductory months, nothing---after that though, you may be fined. INFORMATION: http://phoenix.gov/PRL/passupdate.html