[ASU Diablo]

https://downtowndevil.com/hance-park...ion-continues/

Construction of the proposed $2 million playground marks one of the first projects to break ground for the renovation of downtown Phoenix’s Margaret T. Hance Park.

City officials say construction will continue with precautions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As more and more businesses and services close in order to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Gregg Bach, the public information officer for the Parks and Recreation Department, said that construction began on March 16 and “there has been no change to the construction schedule related to the coronavirus.”

The city’s effort to make the “smart park” of the future will come with a total price tag of $100 million.

The west side of the space will be used mainly as a youth recreation area and family spaces and for events. The east side of the park will have a stage with an area that can accommodate up to 30,000 people, Back said.

The timeline for the project was the center focus for the Feb. 27 meeting, given concern from residents and council members pertaining to the fruition of the park.

Tracee Crockett, the assistant director for the parks and recreation department, said at the Parks and Recreation Board for the city of Phoenix that they know that they have money to break ground on the playground but “in terms of the full park being built will be contingent on when we get the money, how we get the money, and how the money is sponsored.”

Jerry Van Gasse, who lives near the park, spoke at the meeting and said that the $15 million wasn’t being put to anything of use so far, “with 15 million, we should be a little further along.”

Bach said that the majority of the $15 million has gone to design and pre-construction. Judy Weiss, deputy director of the Management Services Division, said the playground project will break ground in April and is expected to be completed in December of 2020.

Bach has a bright outlook for the future of the park and believes everybody will benefit from it.

“Hance is really, with all the development here in downtown, helping to make that an area where everybody’s going to use (it) as their neighborhood park, but also people from around the city will come there.”