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Tempe joining effort to beautify historic neighborhood

From the Tempe Newsroom – More than 200 volunteers assist in Victory Acres neighborhood cleanup event 

The City of Tempe is joining forces with Valley Toyota Dealers and Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. for the third annual Barrios Bellos (Beautiful Neighborhoods) cleanup event Saturday, Feb. 20, in Tempe’s Victory Acres neighborhood. Volunteers will gather at Esquer Park, 2407 E. McArthur Dr., starting at 8 a.m.

Barrio Bellos is a cleanup and beautification program developed by the Valley Toyota Dealers in partnership with CPLC, Arizona’s leading Hispanic nonprofit, to help strengthen Latino neighborhoods in need throughout the Valley. For this year’s event, the City of Tempe is joining the effort as a partner to benefit this historic neighborhood and have a strong impact in the community.

One of Tempe’s oldest neighborhoods, Victory Acres has been home to many Hispanic families since the 1940s. Its boundaries are University Drive on the north to McArthur Drive on the south, and Evergreen Street on the east to Price Road on the west. Through Barrio Bellos, volunteers will clean up neighborhood streets and will help beautify community buildings such as St. Margaret Church.

Barrios Bellos is a positive first step in helping to create safe and healthy Hispanic neighborhoods throughout the Valley. Last year, nearly 250 volunteers collected nearly 17 tons of trash during a cleanup event benefiting Carl Hayden neighborhood district in Phoenix.

For more information about the Barrios Bellos beautification program, contact Ixchel del Castillo at (602) 417-0656 (office), (602) 821-1996 (mobile) or idelcastillo@c-k.com.

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Tempe household waste facility celebrates 10 years

Just in time for Earth Day, this week the City of Tempe’s Household Products Collection Center (HPCC) celebrates 10 years of protecting the health and safety of Tempe and Guadalupe residents. 

Since opening on April 22, 1999, the center – the first of its kind in the Valley – has recycled more than 1.5 million pounds of potentially hazardous household waste. An estimated 55 percent of materials collected are flammable and toxic, such as gasoline and insecticides, while another 25 percent includes batteries and “e-waste,” such as computers and monitors. The HPCC recycles more than 88 percent of the materials it receives, saving space in our landfills and saving our storm drains and groundwater from potential contamination. 

Recent trends toward “green” living and sustainability have resonated with residents, as shown by a record-breaking year in 2008 at the HPCC. So far in 2009, the center is on pace to exceed that record. HPCC employees make use of paint that has been dropped off at the center, mixing it to make other colors that can be re-used by the city. Patrons to the center can even “shop” for free items they need, including paint, stains, cleaning products, automotive products, and lawn and garden products.

The center is open Fridays 7 a.m. to noon and Saturdays 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The HPCC is located at 1320 E. University Drive, on the north side of University just west of McClintock Drive. Proof of Tempe or Guadalupe residency is required in the form of a driver’s license or water bill. Items that cannot be accepted include appliances, tires and explosives. For a list of accepted items and for ways to safely transport items to the HPCC, visit www.tempe.gov/HHW or call 480-858-2223.

Demolition begins for Tempe Historical Museum renovation

Major demolition, including removal of the front entrance, will begin on Tuesday at the Tempe Historical Museum, 809 E. Southern Ave. The Tempe museum is currently closed to the public and is scheduled to reopen in March.  

Renovations include developing a children's area that involves families and schools in historical and educational activities, redefining the exhibit area to feature flexible spaces with changing exhibits, integrating new technology with innovative interpretation to dramatically stage the stories of Tempe, increasing program space to accommodate up to 300 people, creating a versatile multi-use area and creating a dynamic, highly visible museum entrance. 

Museum services remain available; however, the museum staff will not be able to guarantee that immediate access will be given to anyone who chooses to come to the museum without an appointment.

•         Research, collection and photographic reproduction services will be available by appointment only by calling 480-350-5100.

•         Ongoing programs, such as the Third Thirstday Night Café and the Tempe Historical Society's Lunch Talks will continue on their regular schedules. However, they will take place at the Tempe Public Library, 3500 S. Rural Road.

Renderings/Information: www.tempe.gov/museum/CIPinfo.htm

Tempe partners with residents to eliminate weeds

The City of Tempe Public Works Department is providing weed control in the city’s alleys as a measure to eliminate the vegetation that quickly grows after winter rains. Alleys from the north city limit to US 60 are complete; alleys from US 60 to the south city limit will be completed by the end of April. The city is asking residents and property owners to pull or cut down the weeds in their yards and on their sides of alleys.

Weeds are an eyesore and a fire hazard. The City of Tempe has codes that require residents and property owners to maintain their properties free from weeds or nuisances that may result in visual blight, fire or safety hazards, and neighborhood or economic deterioration. This includes grass or weeds over 12 inches tall, vegetation growing through gravel, or dead grass, weeds or other vegetation that may create a fire hazard.
“As the weather warms and the weeds dry up, the potential for fire is very real,” said John Osgood, deputy public works manager. “It is important that residents take their weed removal responsibilities seriously for reasons of fire safety and to be good neighbors by keeping their properties and alleys looking clean.”

Tempe has more than 165 miles of unpaved alleys and, by city code, property owners are charged with taking care of the alley space directly behind their homes, in addition to their property. As a result, the city is requesting help from residents in removing the dead weeds and keeping alleys and yards as well maintained as possible.

“Ideally they will bag up what they can and place them in the 300-gallon container in the alley,” Osgood said. “Or they can bundle them up and place them in a pile adjacent to their alley wall.”
For more information, call the Neighborhood Enhancement Division at 480-350-8372 or visit www.tempe.gov/codecompliance. For more information, call Street Maintenance in the Public Works Department at 480-350-8229.

Tempe receives award for clean air efforts

TEMPE, Ariz.- The city of Tempe Transportation Program, Tempe in Motion, received the Maricopa Association of Governments Livable Communities Award from the Clean Air Campaign on Oct. 28. The Clean Air Awards recognize the best clean air and alternative transportation programs in Maricopa County.

The city received the award for its comprehensive transportation program. The goal of the program is to encourage residents to ride the bus, bike, or walk in order to reduce the air pollution and traffic congestion problems.  Tempe in Motion provides light rail, bus, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities and encourages getting around Tempe in anything but a car.  Since the passage of the city's 1996 transit sales tax, Tempe has: added bus service, implemented five free neighborhood circulator routes, created an alternatively-fueled fleet, constructed light rail, built bikeways, constructed two "green" buildings and implemented neighborhood pedestrian facilities.

Tempe is committed to constructing innovative projects that provide alternative modes of transportation to improve air quality and decrease traffic congestion. Tempe is also actively supporting the construction of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings in its community including the East Valley Bus Operations & Maintenance Facility and the Tempe Transportation Center.

 For information, call (480) 350-2775

Away with dirt alleys

One great thing about living in Tempe is the alleys behind the homes. In other cities without alleys, home owners must put "over-sized" garbage on the street during selected weeks of the month and await pick up. That's not necessarily a tremendous inconvenience, but it does make streets look terrible during those weeks.  Some cities require you to call for a custom pick up time which is invoiced on your water bill. Alleys remove those concerns. Have some over-sized trash you don't want? Put it in the alley 7 days a week, 24 hours a day!

 

There are two problems with alleys: 1.) they allow unscrupulous characters behind your house while, at the same time, they are technically on  public property and 2.) They are dirt, which cause dust (and more dust) when your neighbors drive down them. This post only discusses problem #2.

 

Thanks to the City of Tempe for changing that. For most of 2008 they have been paving dirt alleys with crushed asphalt. It was recently our turn. Here are the pictures:

 

BEFORE:

 

 

AFTER: