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PARKS, RECREATION, OPEN SPACE, AND EVENTS F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 6 N E W S L E T T E R Connecting our community through people, parks, natural areas, and programs. Photos: action shots from the last game of the season at Sinagua Middle School Another Great Season for Youth Basketball Youth Basketball concluded another successful and well- organized season this year, bringing together 23 teams and 230 registered participants. With 10 players per team, athletes built skills and confidence over the course of the eight games. Saturday games took place at Sinagua Middle School, while additional Thursday games were hosted at Hal Jensen Recreation Center. A highlight of the season included two Jr. Suns Nights at the NAU Skydome during Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's basketball games. Players who wore their team jerseys received free admission, and families were able to purchase discounted tickets. Chick-fil-A also supported the program by providing each participant with a coupon card for a free sandwich. We appreciate the continued support of our coaches, families, and community partners who helped make the season a success. Sunset at Buffalo Park PARKS Welcome Parrish Jonen - Parks Maintenance Worker Parrish Jonen has officially joined PROSE as a full‐time Parks Maintenance Worker after serving several months as temporary staff. Parrish moved to Flagstaff nearly ten years ago to earn his degree in Parrish Jonen Parks and Recreation from NAU and has made the community his home ever since. He is excited to continue expanding his skills in this new role while working throughout the city’s beautiful parks. Outside of work, Parrish enjoys biking around town, rock climbing, and staying actively engaged as an informed community member. New Equipment - The Snow Rhino Parks was excited to deploy a new specialized piece of snow‐removal equipment during the most recent storm: the Snow Rhino. The Snow Rhino is a compact, stand‐on snowplow designed for tight or heavily trafficked areas. This equipment enhances the efficiency of downtown snow‐removal operations while allowing shovel teams to be reassigned to other high‐priority locations. Continental Park Dugout Roof Replacements The Parks team recently completed the roof replacement project on the dugouts at the Continental Sports Complex, removing the Snow Rhnio old wooden structures and installing durable, January 2026 Trail Number Counts of Users steel‐reinforced roofs built to 10000 withstand the elements. 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 AZT Loop FUTS CCC Hill Bridge Mesa Site East West Trail Entrance Buffalo Park Tree Mars 66 66 Foxglenn Mesa Waterbird Sinclair Lone Observatory Cyn Route Route Buffalo McMillan Picture Cyn Picture New dugout roof RECREATION Josh Conway Promotion to Aquatics Coordinator II We are thrilled to announce Josh Conway’s promotion from Head Lifeguard to his new role as Aquatics Coordinator II. Josh brings to PROSE 13 years of experience in U.S. Naval Special Warfare, where one of his primary duties was serving as a Special Operations Combat Medic. In that role, he developed advanced lifesaving skills and a strong commitment to discipline and excellence. He is especially inspired by the City of Flagstaff’s mission to “protect and enhance the quality of life for Josh Conway all,” and looks forward to carrying that ethos into his role at the Aquaplex. Josh has lived in Flagstaff for nine months and enjoys hiking and climbing with his wife and two children. Aquaplex Winter Sports Pick-Up Game & Tournament Series The Aquaplex’s new Winter Sports Pick-Up Game and Tournament Series is off to a fantastic start! The series features pick‐up games for Basketball, Futsal, and Volleyball on Mondays and Wednesdays, culminating in a tournament for each sport. Basketball recently wrapped up with an impressive turnout. The pick‐up games averaged 20 participants per night, and the tournament was a success with a six‐team 5v5 competition. Each team played three games in a round-robin format, followed by a championship game between the top two teams. This program has brought together both after‐school regulars and new participants, creating a fun, energetic environment and increased engagement at the facility. Basketball Tournament Winning Team Volunteer Clean-Up Hal Jensen Recreation Center partnered with the city’s Sustainability Stewards program to host a volunteer Volunteers from Hal Jensen cleanup at the Thorpe Park Disc Golf Course. Five kids volunteered their afternoon and enjoyed exploring the park as they collected litter. After the clean-up, participants were treated to pizza and soda as a thank‐you Volunteers for their hard work and bagging trash enthusiasm. OPEN SPACE Open Space Maintenance & Volunteer Efforts Open Space staff installed new ‘No Camping’ signs throughout McMillan Mesa Natural Area. Areas where signs had previously been placed have already seen a noticeable decrease in illegal camping activity. Volunteers also took advantage of a break in the weather to remove old tires, ceramic floor tiles, and other debris from the interior of Picture Canyon, helping to keep the area clean and welcoming for visitors. Field trip at McMillan Mesa Staff installing ‘No Camping’ signs Outdoor Education Open Space has been especially busy this winter, welcoming students from various schools and after school programs for hands‐on field trips and classroom Field Trips & Classroom Lessons programs. These experiences give kids a much‐needed chance • Summit Alternative High School visited to get outdoors, explore local natural areas, and Picture Canyon for photography and stay connected to the environment even orienteering activities. during the colder months. From wildlife • FACTS after‐school programs explored tracking to navigation skills and ecology wildlife tracking through track and scat lessons, each visit helps spark curiosity and investigations. builds confidence through real‐world learning. • Mount Elden Middle School 8th graders studied natural selection and genetics during field trip to McMillan Mesa. • Mount Elden Middle School 6th graders created lunar cycle field journal pages during an in‐class outreach lesson. Field trip at McMillan Mesa Adult Basketball EVENTS, MARKETING & ATHLETICS Basketball Second Session Wrap Up Spring Indoor Volleyball Now in Session The second session of Adult Winter Basketball has come to an end! Adult Spring Volleyball is in full swing, with games held every Winning Teams: day except Fridays and Mon/Wed Division: Winner – Saturdays. Mike & Ronda’s West, Runners- up – Ratt n Roll, Yetis, and 51’s (three-way tie!) Tues/Thurs Division: Winner – 86ers, Runner-up – Mutton Busters Adult Summer Softball - First Session Registration Now Open Indoor Volleyball Registration for Adult Summer Softball leagues is now live online. Teams can sign up for $350, and games will begin at the end of April. Click Here to Register Online Softball at Thorpe Park Upcoming Events & Programs Spring Break Activities at Hal Jensen Recreation Center Spring Break is just around the corner and fun plans are coming together at Hal Jensen! Stop by for one of our regularly scheduled activities or pop by the facility to just hang out. All activities are free and open to all ages. For more information call: 928-213-2761 or stop by the facility! Spring Break Kids Day Camp at the Aquaplex Looking for an exciting Spring Break activity for your kids? Join us at the Flagstaff Aquaplex for a week full of fun! Kids will enjoy swimming, rock climbing, games, crafts, and more in a safe and active environment. March 9–13 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM Ages: 5–11 Members: $120 | Non-Members: $150 Register online or call the Aquaplex front desk: (928) 213-2300 Concerts in the Park - Call for Musicians Want to share your music with the community in a local park this summer? PROSE is on the lookout for family-friendly musicians to perform a 2-hour set on a Wednesday evening in June or July as part of the annual Concerts in the Park series. Please send the following to: SpecialEvents@flagstaffaz.gov by March 20th: Link to demo / previous performance Genre of music Availability (Wednesdays in June & July) Specific dates and park locations will be confirmed after selection. Concerts are every Wednesday in June and July. The band must be available from 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM. *Audio will be provided by Peaks Entertainment March Full Moon Hike Join Open Space for a nighttime hike under March's full moon. Tuesday, March 3 | 6:30 PM McMillan Mesa, McMillan Mesa Loop Trail (Meet at Buffalo Park by the buffalo statue) Please wear hiking shoes, dress for the weather, and bring water, a flashlight or headlamp, and hiking poles if needed (extra gear provided). Stay connected!