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Little Free Library

 in 32nd Street Lifestyle

Cathy 2

One neighbor is passionate about getting kids to read.  As a retired elementary school librarian, Cathy Bonnell saw the joy first hand when children began to read.

Cathy was a librarian for 34 years, mainly at the Washington Elementary District in West Phoenix.  Over the years she has collected many favorite children’s books.  She was able to continue her passion for encouraging kids to read when she ran into a former colleague who told her about the little free library concept.  The little free library is a community library when neighbors can share their favorite books with the community and encourage others to do the same.
Cathy started out with a basket of books next to her mailbox, offering the books for whoever wanted to take one.  However one day she came home and the basket was gone.
So Cathy had someone make her a wooden box with a plexi-glass door, and installed it on a post cemented into her yard.  Her goal to continue to spread her passion for children’s books lives on today in her little free library.

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Children’s books are her primary focus but any kind of book is accepted.  Neighbors are invited to take a book or leave a book. When you are done with your book return it and try a new one.  If you have any children’s books that need a new home leave them in Cathy’s little free library for others to enjoy.
Her home is conveniently located near Mercury Mine Park at 9451 N 33rd Way, Phoenix, AZ.  On your way to or from the park you are encouraged to grab a book.
Leave a book or take a book, Cathy’s little free library is here to help encourage kids to read and share the joy of reading with the community.  Borrow or donate a book today! Libraries big or small we love them all and Cathy’s library is right in the neighborhood. Cathy 5

City of Phoenix Housing Meetings

 in News/ Events

The city of Phoenix is looking to identify housing and community development needs in Phoenix for the next five-year period.  Comments received will be summarized and used to complete a needs assessment for the 2015-2020 Consolidation Plan.

city info

City Of Phoenix Meetings

There will be three public meetings in September.

Residents are invited to attend a public meeting and share their comments on community needs such as housing, homelessness, public infrastructure, and economic development activities at any of the following meetings:

5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St., first floor assembly room
5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, Desert West Community Center, 6501 W. Virginia Ave.
5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, Neighborhood Resource Center, 2405 E. Broadway Road
The Consolidated Plan also will contain a yearly action plan that will identify programs and activities funded through the following U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) formula grant funds: Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA).

Residents also can share input via email to rachel.milne@phoenix.gov or leave a comment on their hotline at 602-262-7281.

Or visit the City of Phoenix website for up to date news and information.

Make your voice heard by attending one of the meetings, emailing, or calling.  It’s your city-be involved!

Pay to Hike? Parking Meters proposed at Phoenix Mountain Parks

 in News/ Events

myfoxcarolinas.com

Mountain parks in the City of Phoenix are a popular draw for thousands each year.  But soon people may have to pay up if they want to hike mountains managed by the City of Phoenix.

As you may have heard by now, there are new hours for parking meters in downtown Phoenix; those hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., weekends as well. But now the city wants to install parking meters at Phoenix mountain parks.

It’s not a done deal by any means, but there is a proposal to install parking meters at Piestewa Peak (Phoenix Mountains Park), Camelback (Echo Canyon area), and South Mountains (Pima Canyon).

The proposal is not too popular among those who hike the mountains.

Stunning views and challenging hikes are some of the reasons that thousands enjoy Echo Canyon, Piestewa Peak, and South Mountain. The million dollar question is whether people will pay for the experience.

“It’s debatable, it’s so scenic, it’s a city park, it should be free,” said a hiker.

“The fact it is free and people bring families, friends, and not have to worry about a gym membership and all that,” said another hiker.

The City of Phoenix is considering whether to place parking meters at three popular mountain parks. The range would likely be from $1.50 to $4.00 an hour depending on the time of day.

“I’m pretty sure it’s going to run people away, especially on the busy days which are the weekends when you don’t even have parking,” said another hiker.

“Cause I’m already driving 45 minutes to get here, I understand if I lived down the street, or nothing for me, no I’ll just run on the treadmill or go to a park,” said a hiker.

Tim Sierakowski sent out these flyers encouraging people to come to the city’s open house on the matter.

“I think they’re trying to curtail people from coming to the parks, and this is wrong, they have enough money,” said Sierakowski.

The city says the plan is for crowd control and as a way to generate revenue.

Hikers agree it can get congested on the mountain.

“Sometimes it’s so crowded you can’t get up the mountain. Meters might be a good thing; you’ll never know,” said Thomas Moran.

The City of Phoenix held an open house Wednesday at the Devenshire Senior Center to give information about trailhead parking meters and get feedback.

Here is what transpired at the meeting.  City of Phoenix Parks and Rec Dept Deputy director Ken Vonderscher fielded questions.

  • Ken said the main reason for the parking meters would be to raise revenue and manage the crowds, but he had no numbers about how much revenue they expect to raise.
  • City Of Phoenix hired a consultant to do a study on the use and degradation of the trails, but he had no numbers on how much the city is paying this consultant.
  • Whether meters are installed, and how much should be charged is determined by a volunteer board, whose names and contact info he is restricted from giving.

To have your voice be heard attend the next meeting Thursday August 28 at 5pm at 200 W Jefferson, Phoenix AZ 85007.

Ken can be reached at ken.vonderscher@phoenix.gov, 602-261-8318, or visit the parks website at www.Phoenixparks.gov/parks.

 

 

Phoenix Improv troupe performs on Fridays

 in 32nd Street Lifestyle

If you are looking for some clean family fun, the local Improv troupe Chaos Comedy performs every Friday night at 7:30 at the Dearing Acting Studio on the North West corner of 32nd st and Shea behind the Federico’s Mexican restaurant. The shows runs about an hour and is family friendly.

Tickets are $12 at the door or $10 in advance from the website. chaoscomedy.com

Here are 5 reasons to see an Improv Show:

1) It’s better than anything on TV. (Except for maybe ”Dancing With The Stars“. Celebs expressing themselves through the art of dance? That’s straight up inspiring.)

2) After the show, you can hang with the improv players. And touch them. And smell their hair when they aren’t looking?

3) We ask YOU for suggestions. Meaning, you get to watch scenes that you helped create. You genius, you.

4) You are supporting the Phoenix arts community. This means you get to feel smug and superior.

5) You MIGHT be watching the next (undiscovered) Tina Fey. The Improv stage is where lots of stars get their start.

So think about it…An Improv show is the most logical Saturday night destination.

And wondering what Dearing Acting Studio is all about?

Dearing Acting Studio offers classes for performers of all ages and levels of experience. The facility offers a 55 seat theater and s full green screen /production room, multiple classrooms and more. Topics of study include improv, commercial study. agency preparation, sketch comedy, monologue, dramatic acting and scene study.

They offer 4 week or 8 week session as well as summer and winter camps for kids.

Owners Leeann and Matthew Dearing are actors and teachers themselves. Leeann Dearing starred in a 2009 GO Daddy Super Bowl commercial co starring Danica Patrick. Matt Dearing has been teaching acting for over 10 years.

Mathew says “Acting is an art form and can be learned! It takes courage, patience,  and, hard work”

So check out the improv troupe and maybe think about starting your own acting career.

For more information:

Dearing Acting Studio

10806 N 32nd St,

Phoenix, AZ 85028

480-313-9901

Phoenix Student Creates Stunning Video

 in 32nd Street Lifestyle, About N.32

Recognize some of the landscape? It looks like a majority of it was shot from Piestewa Peak in the Phoenix 32nd St corridor.

Love the video? You might be surprised by who made it.  A local Phoenix high school student.  Brophy College Preparatory senior Michael Heiland captured this timelapse video called the “The Valley” to test out his timelapse skills.

“You’ll see a sunrise at about 4 in the morning from the top of Squaw Peak. You’ll see sunsets from Camelback and the other views downtown here. I went to about 30 locations,” the 17-year-old said.

“A lot of people think it was for fun, some people think that it was for a school project, but I just did it because I’m passionate about time-lapse photography and I wanted to make a video about Arizona because I hadn’t seen one before,” Heiland said.

The video has gone viral and has been viewed several thousands of times across the world.

Hieland took six months to complete the project.  He did some research and taught himself how to do time lapse photography.  He also did the legwork to get the fancy equipment and then hauled it up to Camelback Mountain and other places.

The finished product has been shared by Phoenix lovers and other alike.  Michael was able to capture the feeling of Phoenix as a thriving, busy city.

The beauty of the desert mixed with the vibrant city light sparkles throughout the video.  From the light rail, to the us airways center, Chase field, and downtown Michael’s video helps capture the essence of Phoenix.  A great city in the desert that we call home.

Michael graduated this May and is looking forward to film school at University of Arizona.  Maybe Michael will delight us once again with a timelapse of Tucson.  Only time will tell.

Tell us, what is your favorite part of the video?