Volume 29 • Number 51 December 21, 2022
The Voice of Marana, Oro Valley and Northwest Tucson
www.explorernews.com
INSIDE
This Week
Arizona Heroes Memorial back on track
NEW YEAR'S GUIDE
BY KAREN SCHAFFNER Tucson Local Media Staff
D “Being able to offer the programming is what I’m most excited about,” he said. “You can picture people out here doing yoga, maybe tai chi, families coming out picnicking underneath the trees and having a resource here to come to if there are questions. If they need anything, we’re here for them now, while before you could come, but there was nobody here. You were just kind of on your own.” It’s part of Steam Pump Ranch’s restoration,
ick Eggerding had a dream: a memorial to those who have served in the military and as first responders. It would be called the Arizona Heroes Memorial, the only one of its kind west of the Mississippi River and perhaps all of the United States, he said. In 2016 the project launched. Eggerding began with a feasibility study to see if anyone was even interested. Turns out they were. “We wanted to make sure from the get-go that we had public support,” he said. “Why try something the public doesn’t see a need for? That proved to be very useful because it was very enthusiastic for us.” Planning and fundraising got underway and the town of Oro Valley allocated land in Naranja Park for it. They worked on identifying companies that could do design work, structural and civil engineering work and landscaping. Plans were made. Then this: “We went through the me-
See STEAM Page 5
See MEMORIAL Page 6
NEWS.........................10 Police receive lifesaving equipment donation
The garage at Steam Pump Ranch underwent a major restoration, and officially opened Dec. 10. Not everything went smoothly during the project; at one point monsoon melted part of the back wall. (Karen Schaffner/Staff )
Old garage finds new life with restoration BY KAREN SCHAFFNER
OPINION.................... 21 Oro Valley Town Talk: I'm calling 'time out' BUSINESS........................................... 11 OPINION............................................. 21 LIVEN UP............................................ 23 SPORTS............................................... 25 PUZZLE/HOROSCOPES.................. 27 WORSHIP/CLASSIFIEDS................ 28
Tucson Local Media Staff
I
t took a year and $900,000 to complete, but the newly restored garage at Steam Pump Ranch officially opened after a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 10. Jon Schumacher, outdoor recreation and resource manager, said he and his staff will move from their offices in Naranja Park within the next two weeks. He has high hopes for this new venue.
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