First, let me say I love your paper. Your news and Valley information is always varied and thorough. I read the Vent section always and feel there are some fine, smart-minded people out there. Other times, I’d like to bop some people upside the head for some ridiculous comments!
Second, whether I get bopped or not, I want to say the Buckhorn Baths should be torn down! It’s history is hardly worthy pf preservation, no matter who stayed there!
Hear me out! Regardless of what’s happening at that Riverview Golf Course, Mesa needs more parks. Main Street is becoming an eyesore with closed businesses and vacant lots that haven’t been developed in 40-plus years. We need to beautify what we’ve got that’s ugly. We need to respect the dead but serve the living.
Mesa desparatly needs small, local, green areas where people can go to and enjoy some green things and some benches under shade and breathe some air. You could do small botanical gardens. Grow your own garden parks like big inner cities do. Communitees need development of small, ugly vacant areas instead of huge parks — parks that are fine, but so far away for many people.
I am for the Buckhorn being renovated by surrounding parks and some history, but look at Main Street. It has some ugly, underdeveloped dirt trash lots. Brighten, beautify and go green with these eyesores. Give smaller area parks the opportunity to serve people closer to home and beautify Main Street. Thanks for hearing me out!
Althea Shontell
Mesa
Arizona Willie posted at 10:05 am on Mon, Apr 30, 2012.
I wonder if the hot springs are still there.
If so, then the Buckhorn Baths should be restored and would hold the possibility of being a fine attraction.
It would make a fantastic spa if it was restored / remodeled.
As for a park, well there is a very large area of Buckhorn that was a motel. All those old units could be torn down and a nice park created out of the acreage of the Buckhorn Baths.
There is no reason we couldn't have BOTH the Buckhorn Baths and a park.
I agree about the deteriorating condition of Main St.
The best remedy would be to run that train all the way out to Apache Junction instead of just adding another mile or two.
Think big and build for the future.
If they ran the train all the way out Main St. to Apache Junction ... many of those eyesores would be eliminated and the traffic would result in renovation all along Main St. It has worked well so far for the businesses along the line ( after the work was done ).
Cerulean posted at 2:00 pm on Mon, Apr 30, 2012.
I remember reading once that the French know how to save the good stuff. I happen to think that the Buckhorn sign, museum and baths are ‘good stuff’. I understand that the rock wall near the museum entrance has embedded one of the largest collections of Indian metates to be found. I don’t think the original hot spring actually exists any longer, but I like idea of a renovated spa, gift shop etc. I agree with Arizona Willie, restore the best of the historic parts and transform the rest into a botanical garden. That would be nice.
I liked reading your letter Althea. [smile]
Arizona Willie posted at 5:28 pm on Mon, Apr 30, 2012.
I wonder if the development of Mesa cause the hot spring(s) to dry up or if, perhaps, it was simply capped up.
If it could be brought back to life and included in a renovated spa it would be a great tourist attraction as well as a great place for the ladies to get " beautified ".
I also believe they are being very short sighted by not running the Metro light rail all the way out to Apache Junction in one huge project instead of patching on a mile at a time.
The longer they take, the more it will cost. And I'd bet they will eventually wind up doing it. They are planning to put in a whole city of a million people East of the Superstitions.
Doing things in pieces always costs more in the long run.
Cerulean posted at 6:29 pm on Mon, Apr 30, 2012.
Arizona Willie,
It’s not just for ladies, my Grandfather use to visit Buckhorn for a long hot bath and a relaxing massage.
As to extending the rail, Mesa is notorious for stalling development on anything that might benefit Apache Junction. I believe they view Apache Junction as a rival competitor and not an extended community. I agree, the light rail would be a welcome service to hundreds of elderly who live near Apache Trail in the east valley. However, I understand why cost is an issue at this time.
Dale Whiting posted at 7:02 am on Tue, May 1, 2012.
Willie, Cerulean,
Looks like no one else has interest in this topic. So I'll have to step in as the antagonist.
Why should City Government be stepping into a private enterprise situation? Sure, cities have done so before, and have even been successful at it. But Buckhorn? Yes, the hot springs dried up. Springs have to have head waters, underground headwaters. And surface and subsurface pumping helped dry that up eons ago. And yes, there are some Native American factors there. But where the traffic has long since left Main Street, out that far Apache Trial, no business in its right mind would redevelop Buckhorn. It's all some politicians playing to the old timer sentamental crowd. The last straw at Buckhorn was one of the first last straws to downtown Mesa, the completion of the US 60 as a freeway south and east of town. When I moved to Mesa in 1981, the US 60 ended at Dobson! I recall driving on Baseline east of Power Road when it ended there. I had to get to Apache Junction. And I recall when Western Savings built the first major development on Alma School and Southern, then signalling the death of downtown Mesa. It hasn't recovered much since then. And even that corner of town is doomed.
So if you will, bring the light rail to east Mesa. And it will help if more very cheap appartments are built to house riders out there. But the economy of Mesa is doomed to follow the economy of south Phoenix. Been there lately? Ya gotta get east of Gilbert Road to see much life left out there in Mesa. But Buckhorn is dead. Long live those ancient memories!
mvccd1000 posted at 2:03 am on Wed, May 2, 2012.
Interesting letter, Althea, and on track about Mesa needing more parks. Instead of tearing down something that actually DOES mean something to Mesa (and the entire valley, come to think of it; BB is what lured spring training to AZ in the first place), how about tearing down one of the many vacant grocery store/strip malls instead?
Greenfield and Main has a large shopping center that's been an eyesore for years, and the entire north side of Main from Sunvalley to Sossoman also fits that description.
If you prefer the Buckhorn Baths area, the shopping center right across the street on the north side of Main would also be a good candidate for a park.
There are plenty of shopping centers in Mesa big enough to create parks that would improve the area by their absence; why get rid of the one that actually means something?
BTW, EV Tribune, can we get more stories featuring the Mesa Historical Society?
Bingo6 posted at 1:55 pm on Wed, May 2, 2012.
First thing that needs to be done in the vast wasteland east of Power Rd, sometimes AKA Mesa, is to annex the ridiculous patchwork of county islands out there into the city itself, kicking and screaming if you have to, and while your at it those entitled retirees at Leisure World.
Secondly provide decent public transportion and city services.
Third as for AJ, a lost cause, they just don 't care, their perfectly happy being the trailor park trash capitol of the world. Once a dump always a dump.
Dale Whiting posted at 5:24 pm on Wed, May 2, 2012.
Bingo,
Ever heard of a lost cause? You've just identified one! There is another such lost cause in South Phoenix. And a much smaller lost cause lies just south of downtown Chandler. That's a cause that need us to leave it alone. Our Hispanic community here in Chandler has some sustainability. But our gringo city manager and council are trying to step in and change it. Viva la Chandler South. Gringos go home!
mvccd1000 posted at 10:35 pm on Wed, May 2, 2012.
Annexing the county islands sound like a silly idea, bingo. They are all low population density areas, so they'll bring in less tax revenue while requiring just as much service from the city.
As far as public transportation, the city couldn't ask for a better opportunity than Main Street for light rail. It's already wider than it needs to be, divided by a median, and lined with empty big box stores and parking lots; perfect for huge park-and-ride lots and redevelopment of shopping centers near the light rail line.