Jon Johnson Photo/Gila Herald: The town of Pima will pay roughly $15,000 to have an archeological survey done to be eligible to receive up to $2 million in grant money for a new recreation complex.
By Jon Johnson
PIMA – The town of Pima is moving forward with its plans for a possible $2 million expansion of its sports complex adjacent to the Vard Lines Roping Arena, but first, an archeological survey will have to be done.
On Tuesday, a truncated Pima Town Council minus absent members Lucas Hoopes and Teresa Bailey unanimously voted to spend roughly $15,000 to fund an archeological survey on the land to receive an Arizona State Parks grant for the project.
The town has 80 acres at its disposal for recreation purposes it was gifted by the Bureau of Land Management in 1965.
Pima Town Manager Vernon Batty said the money used to pay for the survey could be reimbursed if the town is awarded a grant.
“From what I’m hearing – the amount of money that’s there – the people that have put in for it, it looks really good for us to get that grant,” Batty said. “So, I’m comfortable spending that money with faith that we would get the grant and pay ourselves back.”
Pima recently re-dedicated the Carsen Gary Brown Field soccer fields and opened up play on the fields thanks to a $200,000 grant from the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties. Upgrades include the installation of a sprinkler system and expansion to accommodate more fields.
That expansion is the first domino in a grander plan to revitalize the area with improved recreation amenities, including a large, covered playground, basketball courts, pickleball, and tennis courts, sand volleyball, new concession stand and bathrooms, additional lighting and sidewalks and parking.
In addition to the new recreation complex, the parks grant could also be used to help resurface the swimming pool, which has been quoted at $171,000.
“That is not money that we have, so the idea that we can use this parks grant for that as well is big,” Batty said. So, being able to do this survey would also help the amount of money where we can do that because that pool is not going to last much longer without getting it resurfaced.”
In other Pima Town Council news:
• The council received a presentation from Nick Large of Colby & Powell Audit Services who gave a glowing review of the town’s audit.
“You guys have a clean audit,” Large said. “Good job.”
• The council approved a $500 donation to Wreaths Across America.
• The council approved the re-investment of $250,000 in another CD after the one it was in had matured.
• The council approved an IGA with the Pima Unified School District to assist with the creation of a road from Highway 70 to the site of the new high school directly to the north of the highway.
Batty said the school will pay roughly $66,000 to get the project to 60 percent design, to which the town will then utilize a Safe Passages to Schools grant to get the road completed in time for the school’s projected opening in Fall 2025.
The addition of a stoplight at the new intersection created at U.S. Highway 70 and 200 South will be up to the Arizona Department of Transportation, according to Pima Town Manager Vernon Batty.
