Imagine Greater Tucson
Phase I Data Gathering
| Public Community Conversation – Vail – Table 2 | ||
| Rincon Valley Fire District 1 (14550 E. Sands Ranch Rd.), Vail | ||
| Date of Conversation: Wednesday, December 01, 2010 Time: 5:30 – 7:30 PM | ||
| Facilitator: Patrick Hartley Recorder: Joanie Sawyer | ||
| Number of Tables: 1 Number of Participants: 15 | ||
| Theme 1. Natural Environment | ||
| What do you like the most about our community/region? | ||
| Unique plants and surface waterways | ||
| Desert environment | ||
| Nature everywhere | ||
| The mountains | ||
| The landscape | ||
| Views | ||
| Beauty of environment – desert, mountains | ||
| Scenic surroundings | ||
| Natural beauty and open space | ||
| Natural beauty | ||
| What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region? | ||
| Sprawl ruining the environment | ||
| Ways for community to engage nature | ||
| Why is this important? How does this affect you? | ||
| Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan will help us with planning | ||
| Nature is our “ocean front” property | ||
| One of the only wildlife corridors | ||
| One of the only water / riparian areas w/ year round water | ||
| Our watershed supplies 20% of the water of the Tucson region | ||
| Cienega Preserve, Sahuaro National Park, Colossal Cave, AZ Trail, Hwy 83 | ||
| Theme 2. Education | ||
| What do you like the most about our community/region? | ||
| Education opportunities | ||
| Vail schools | ||
| School system | ||
| Vail school system | ||
| U of A | ||
| What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region? | ||
| Overcrowding in schools | ||
| Lack of funding for schools | ||
| Why is this important? How does this affect you? | ||
| School district involves the whole community | ||
| Active community contributes to quality of schools | ||
| District – good special education and attempt to meet every student's needs | ||
| Opportunities for Vail students – District goes out of its way to ask students “Why” and are encouraged to question. | ||
| People from around the world come to see Vail | ||
| Budget over-ride did not pass. | ||
| Since schools out here are good, people move out here. But the overcrowding takes away from the experience. | ||
| We need to help others make the connection between how we fund education and how it affects the community. | ||
| It's not that people don't care, they just can't afford it because of the economy. | ||
| Community, schools and natural beauty are what brings people to Vail. Not everyone values education. | ||
| Plenty of funding for tech and sports even with lack of funding | ||
| Need to continue funding education | ||
| Arts and music – lack of funding limits them – need well-rounded education | ||
| Theme 3. Lack of Leadership and Planning | ||
| What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region? | ||
| City government and planning | ||
| Lack of vision and indecision of leaders | ||
| Want planner job – permanent full-time | ||
| Better leadership in Tucson | ||
| Lack of focus on development of technology based economy | ||
| Attract more businesses to the area | ||
| Local gov future planning | ||
| Regional planning | ||
| Regional planning for growth | ||
| Why is this important? How does this affect you? | ||
| In Phoenix, we had less connection to the regional culture – the Tucson area is more connected to culture. | ||
| We push people to get involved here. | ||
| In Tucson, you are just a number. Out here we have the parade, etc. that people connect to. | ||
| History is a big part of Vail, but as restaurants and other businesses come to town it begins to change that. | ||
| Ranching, mining, transportation history in Vail all connect, but it's not necessarily known – we need to take time to get to know our past and present. | ||
| Sense of place in Tucson is declining while sense of place in Vail is increasing | ||
| Need to know who the leaders are | ||
| Consideration of local history and local natural resources and whys for community to connect to them – hands on engagement | ||
| Input from various areas will contribute to the various plans – general, city, etc. | ||
| We are the people that should be speaking up but the structure to do that is not in place | ||
| We are looking at what's going on today and not focusing on the future | ||
| No one is willing to stand up and voice | ||
| Local elected aren't familiar with the voice of their area | ||
| Tucson losing its sense of place – people moving to outer areas | ||
| Sense of individualism works against working together | ||
| Disconnect between local community and county/city representation | ||
| Hard for leaders to have vision if community doesn't have local representation | ||
| Lack of overall vision = reacting to the “next big thing” | ||
| Technology based economy = jobs and opportunities | ||
| Theme 4. Community | ||
| What do you like the most about our community/region? | ||
| “Can do” community | ||
| Nexus for the story of a young and growing nation | ||
| Sense of cooperation | ||
| Area – it's rural – small community | ||
| Hometown feel | ||
| Family orientation | ||
| Community in Vail | ||
| Small town feel | ||
| Community volunteer opportunities / drive | ||
| Size – not a huge megalopolis | ||
| Small town feel | ||
| What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region? | ||
| Lack of community facilities, i.e., parks, youth activities | ||
| More local recreation options | ||
| More park facilities | ||
| Family gathering places – parks/rec./trails/paths – to connect communities | ||
| Distance to shopping (too far) | ||
| Poor communication (newspapers, etc.) | ||
| Better communication of community events | ||
| Community services i.e., library, parks, community center, etc. | ||
| Why is this important? How does this affect you? | ||
| When people feel a sense of pride they feel more part of the community | ||
| “Bus Tour” helped me understand the community and why we have pride | ||
| School clubs and organizations further community | ||
| Vail Chamber event will hopefully bring community together | ||
| School district (huge area) helps bring the community together | ||
| Vail is strong in community relationships | ||
| Creation of intergenerational activities creates a sense of place. Youth value their community and we create a community that is vested in itself. | ||
| Theme 5. Downtown | ||
| What do you like the most about our community/region? | ||
| 4th Avenue | ||
| What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region? | ||
| More vibrant downtown Tucson | ||
| Downtown area dead | ||
| Theme 6. Weather | ||
| What do you like the most about our community/region? | ||
| Geographic location | ||
| Weather | ||
| Weather | ||
| Theme 7. Transportation | ||
| What do you most want to change or improve about our community/region? | ||
| Transportation – cooperation among jurisdictions | ||
| Transportation issues | ||
| Transportation | ||
| Transportation system | ||
| Pubic transportation | ||
| More bus service | ||
| Traffic | ||
| More bus service out here | ||
Sunday, December 12, 2010