Scottsdale Update - March 13, 2023

Scottsdale residents report high satisfaction in community survey. People who live in Scottsdale enjoy a high quality of life and consider the community an excellent place to live, according to responses in the National Community Survey conducted in December and January.

Scottsdale residents showed high levels of satisfaction with safety in the community and ranked the local economy as a top priority. The survey results provide insight into how city residents feel about their community, about their local government, and about their interactions with both.  

Notable results (percent rating “excellent” or “good”):

Scottsdale Memorial for the Fallen will be dedicated Saturday, March 18. Residents of the Scottsdale area, including nearby Native American communities, have served with distinction in the United States military for more than 100 years. During the nation's armed conflicts and in the course of military duty, 66 of those service members have made the ultimate sacrifice. 

Their names are now permanently engraved on the granite faces of the Scottsdale Memorial for the Fallen. The new memorial will be dedicated at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 18. The public is invited to attend the ceremony at Scottsdale Civic Center’s Memorial Lawn, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. (on the east side of City Hall). Learn more.

Governor Katie Hobbs appointed Scottsdale City Clerk Ben Lane to the Bipartisan Elections Task Force. Created by Executive Order 2023-03 in January, the governor formed the task force to study and make recommendations to strengthen election laws, policies and procedures. This task force consists of experts from across Arizona’s elections community, who represent diverse political and geographic backgrounds. The group will prepare and submit a final report by November with recommendations for improvements to the state’s election laws. Read more.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

THINGS TO DO

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West hosts “Jews of the Wild West” film screening. True West Magazine named this film the "Reader’s Choice Best Western Documentary.” Two screenings are available: 2-4 p.m. Sunday, March 19, and again at the same time Sunday, March 26. Attendance is complimentary with museum admission. Learn more and register.

We’re celebrating women who tell our stories. Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in March since 1987. This year, Scottsdale will honor women with an event featuring Collette V. Smith - the NFL's first African American female coach, at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at the Indigenous Cultural Center at Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral Road. RSVP.   

March's Civil War Roundtable features Civil War Historian Eric Wittenberg. A prolific author, having written more than 20 books, Wittenberg will speak about Union cavalry operations at the Battle of Chickamauga. Wittenberg is the leading authority on Civil War cavalry operations. His lecture is based on his 2018 monograph “Holding the Line on the River of Death: Union Mounted Forces at Chickamauga, September 18, 1863.”

The Scottsdale Civil War Roundtable meets Tuesday, March 21, at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd. The lecture starts at 5 p.m.; doors open at 4 p.m. for book sales and a speaker meet and greet. You can also join via Zoom.

The Scottsdale Family ArtsFest will celebrate students’ visual and performing arts, March 24 and 25. This free two-day festival of creativity will include performances, interactive demonstrations and culinary delights from local food trucks. The event runs 4-6 p.m. Friday, March 24, and resumes 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. Learn more.

Big things are happening for small ones at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park’s “Exclusively Little.” This is the perfect one-stop-shop for families to find information about summer camps, school and education options, youth sports, city recreation programs and more. There also will be plenty of activities for the park’s youngest friends. The event runs 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, March 25, 7301 E. Indian Bend Road. Free admission. Get details.

Get more events information. 

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Scottsdale Trolley offers free special event service for San Francisco Giants spring training home games. The route runs from the Nordstrom parking garage, through Old Town to Scottsdale Stadium. Special event stops are marked by A-frame signs. Service starts 90 minutes before the first pitch and ends 30 minutes after the last inning. View the route (pdf).

Scottsdale hosts catalytic converter etching event to combat significant increase in thefts. To protect car owners, the city and Scottsdale Midas have partnered to host a free catalytic converter theft prevention event from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at Midas, 2428 N. Scottsdale Road. Sport utility vehicles, cars and trucks less than 1,500 pounds are eligible. Etching and stencil work should take no more than 20 minutes. Registration is required. Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment due to limited parking.

Free vaccines are available at Scottsdale’s Paiute Neighborhood Center. Available vaccines include COVID-19, flu, hepatitis A and B, tetanus, shingles for 50 and older and pneumococcal for 65 and older. The clinic runs 3-6 p.m. Monday, March 20, 6535 E. Osborn Road. Bring insurance information. Those without insurance are still welcome. Call 602-506-6767 for questions.  

Residences and businesses can get a free outdoor water efficiency check. A city irrigation expert will visit your home or business to conduct this service. On average, you can save 4,000 gallons of water per month with one of these checks. Let’s all do our part to conserve water. Call 480-312-5650 or visit us online to schedule.

Thompson Peak Park is home to Scottsdale’s second inclusive playground. Thompson Peak Park joined Chaparral Park to offer inclusive playgrounds tailored to children with physical, cognitive and sensory disabilities. Upgrades to the playground at 20199 N. 78th Place, include new swings, interactive equipment and other features. A ribbon-cutting celebration takes place at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 31.

The park offers a range of swing options that allow everyone to experience the fun together – standard swings, swings with straps for kids who can’t sit unassisted, and bucket and belt swings. Another play feature – the accessible whirl -- involves spinning, which is popular among children with certain cognitive disabilities. It also has equipment that provides multisensory tactile experiences, slide assist exits that allow caregivers ample time to help children off equipment and cozy spots for children who might get overwhelmed by playground distractions and noise.

FYI

Watch the latest Fast Five. Learn about a special dedication ceremony for the Scottsdale Memorial for the Fallen, a free, two-day festival of creativity and a catalytic converter theft prevention event. These are just a few things happening in Scottsdale and highlighted in this month’s episode of Fast Five. Watch now.

Be prepared if you plan to hike or ride in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. The National Weather Service is predicting warmer than average temperatures. Springtime days in the desert often start with cool, even chilly mornings, followed by a rapid 20-to-30-degree rise in temperature through the morning. Hydrate before you arrive, carry ample water for you and your dog, and turn around when your water is half gone. Wear light-colored clothing and a hat, and remember sunscreen. Bring your fully charged phone and tell a friend or family member where you are going and when you plan to return.

City open new “Books 2 Go” location. Mayor David D. Ortega and Scottsdale Public Library representatives cut the ribbon on the sixth micro-library location near 70th Street and Goldwater Boulevard. This modernist book box was created from an original design by architect Ned Sawyer. Learn more and find one near you.  

Job of the Week: Part-time Summer Intern - City Manager's Office. Do you have dreams of one-day overseeing all aspects of city government? If so, this job might be for you. This position will be housed in the City Manager's office and will work with various departments to obtain government management experience. The position provides professional level research and analysis, as well as writing and editing city publications, conducting an employee census and day-to-day support to city management staff. Learn more and apply.

History Mystery: Kiva Center makes National Register of Historic Places. On Jan. 20, the Kiva Craft Center, 7121-7125 E. 5th Ave., was rededicated on the 67th anniversary of its opening. Originally opened on Jan. 20, 1956, by Native American artist and fashion designer Lloyd Kiva New along with several other local artisans, the Kiva Crafts Center was Scottsdale’s cultural center in the late-1950s and 1960s. T.S. "Tom" Montgomery designed the original building.

The Kiva Crafts Center was an upgraded space from the artists' previous location, the Arizona Craft Center, which opened for business at the southwest corner of Main and Brown in February 1946 in the old general store. The four units housed eight shops. The building was lost to fire in April 1950.

The new location on Fifth Avenue opened in November 1950. Kiva wanted to develop a courtyard on the south side of Fifth Avenue, and it officially opened in January 1956. It proved to be more than just an expanded retail space; it became the heart of the city's reputation as a luxury shopping destination. In its heyday from the 1950s to the 1970s, Fifth Avenue was a franchise-free zone of boutiques, cafes and galleries that drew residents and tourists alike for shopping, dining and to attend special events.

There were several different craftsmen that worked all manners of leather, metals, fabrics, ceramics and perfume to make beautiful items for locals and visitors. Artists included Charles Loloma, Leona Caldwell, Erné and more. Lloyd Kiva also organized fashion shows on Fifth Avenue which put Scottsdale on the map in the fashion world.

The Kiva Craft Center and its tenants were featured prominently in national publications such as Life Magazine (1956), Town & Country (1958), House Beautiful (1958), Saturday Evening Post (1960) and others. 

The Kiva Craft Center was purchased by Robert and Eleanor Simonson in 1972 and continues to be owned and managed by the family. Michael and Cindy Simonson started a rehabilitation project in the summer 2022, redesigning the courtyard to resemble the original courtyard and using the original paint colors. Michael's son Paul serves as Vice President.

Special thanks to Joan Fudala for her contributions to this article.

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