Planning could well launch next year on the building of two aquatic facilities, along with a new general community recreation center, in Mesa, Arizona.
Both projects will be funded by two separate bonds totaling $260 million just approved in Tuesday’s elections.
A $90 million bond for public safety projects proved successful with just over 72% of the vote; while the second bond, at $170 million, designed to fund recreation and education facility projects, scored nearly 65%.
The project selection process for the two bonds began last spring with members of the Mesa City Council subsequently reviewing and eliminating various proposed projects. In the process the total price tag for the bonds was reduced from an initial $600 million to the $260 million that won voter approval.
Besides the aquatic facilities and recreation center, the bonds will fund the construction of new pickleball courts at four separate city parks as well as upgrade and water conservation improvements at half a dozen city parks.
Additional projects will see the expansion of Mesa’s fiber network, updates to the city’s 911 Center, and expanded street safety work.
One of the projects that received the most attention during the campaign season is the renovation of the I.D.E.A Museum at 150 W. Pepper Place.
Formerly known as the Arizona Museum for Youth, the facility is dedicated to exhibiting, teaching, and student interaction with the arts. The I.D.E.A. initials stand for “imagination, design, experience, art.”
Work at the museum will include the renovation of the facility’s art gallery, classrooms, and studio.
The museum was founded in 1980 as the only children’s museum in the country, and currently serves upwards of 90,000 visitors a year.
November 8, 2024
By Garry Boulard
