The function of Parks and Recreation within the City of Bisbee includes parks maintenance, special events, and recreation programs. Parks has three employees, two that maintain all city parks and assists with events, and one who coordinates events and recreation programs for the community.
There is also an established Parks and Recreation Committee that consists of five members for the purpose of advising Mayor and Council on various parks and recreations functions. The department is currently evaluating every park to update the Master Parks Plan with the assistance of the Parks and Recreation Committee. The committee and department are also working on evaluating the needs of the pool and recreational programming.
There are also volunteers that assist with the maintenance and planting at various parks through the recently revised Adopt-A-Park program.
The City provides 12 developed parks for recreational use that total 5.85 acres. Vista Park is the largest at 2.63 acres while the others are significantly smaller. The City has 1,086 residents per acre of park while approximately $24 per resident goes toward parks and recreations. Other facilities include a swimming pool and a rec room located at City Park.
Events are a large part of weekend activities for residents as well as tourists. Current City events include Fourth of July activities, Festival of Lights, and various summer concerts. City sponsored events include Farmer’s Market, Earth Day, Boy Scout Carnival, Copper Classic Car Show, La Vuelta de Bisbee, various other Fourth of July activities, Brewery Gulch Daze, Bisbee Blues Festival, Garden Tour, and the Domestic Violence Awareness Candlelight Walk. Approximately fifty Park, Facility, and Right-of-Way Use Permits are processed each year for events and recreational use.
Recreation programs in previous years have included the Summer Basketball League and a Spring Youth Program for kids. Last year he department increased it recreation and event activities to include a week long kids Fire Camp, a month long Jump Rope Club, a summer polynesian dance program, a sports clinic in conjunction with youth sports organizations, and the Bisbee Summerfest Youth Band Workshop and Showcase. Other recreation activities included a safety event for kids in conjunction with the Fire Department Centennial Celebration, a booth with information on summer recreation and volunteer opportunities for kids at the International Golf Jam, Earth Day booth, and a special pool party to introduce the new slide and ADA accessible ramp to the community. Fall Programs included parent-child cake decorating, and a week long fall break program with emphasis on nature and free play, as well as a jump rope club class. This department is aware of the importance of parks and recreation in the community and will continue to bring its health, economic, and social benefits to the residents of Bisbee. |  |