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I live in northwest Tucson [as far north is you can get without being out of the city limits of Tucson in a nice "newer" town called Oro Valley]. For wheelchair users... you and I Greg ARE in great areas of the state whereby EVERYTHING IS NEAR OUR HOMES. And we don't have to be babysitted to go out the door and just go. Almost complete independence considering our situations.
The parks and trails and quiet streets here not only have sidewalks but an area along side of the road marked off with a white line for bikers, joggers, walkers, wheelchair users, etc. etc. etc. Etc.. I mostly stroll along these areas because my back does not like the ka-thud, ka-thud of wheelchair travel on a sidewalk. Some sidewalks are better than others though.
I sure did not know what I was missing when I lived in a small old upstate New York town that were a far cry from these classy, exclusive amenities especially for wheelchair users as well as having great weather year-round!
Except for two or three months in the summertime... upstate New York was drab, drizzly, rainy, snowy, cold, freezing, icy and the endless list of BLAHS.
Lori
-------Original Message-------
Date: 8/15/2006 9:55:14 PM
Subject: [QUAD-L] Parks
When I first moved, I wanted a few things for sure, Close by parks, a development with trails through the neighborhood, maybe some type of community center. We moved into a hot market and houses were going fast. Selling in hours, over asking prices. Every house I liked was sold before we got an offer in, or we were out bid. I finely got my house, because the inside was a perfect setup for our family, but not one thing I wanted. But, it was such a good setup, we couldnt pass. But after a year, with all the new building, most everything has come to us.
A group of new developments have built nice landscaped paths, a mile long. The city is just finishing the last stage of a 15 mile long path, ending a few blocks from me. A mile up the path they are just starting to build the 63 acre park, covering a landfill. The path goes from my area, through 3 cities (following a runoff cannal), passing the park, and the tiny airfield 3 miles away. Id like to go watch the small planes.
The other direction, they are building 2 giant parks, one is 2 miles away, the other is 3 miles. Each over 100 acres big, fields, lakes, community centers, riparian reserves, the works. But the only way to get there, there are no sidewalks and no real way to get across.
I called and they are scheduled to be paved and sidewalks added in 2-4 years. The city has been good. Just last week I called about a sidewalk that went down an older street, but there was no way off, it just ended. They went right out and put in a curb cut. They gave me $5,000 as a grant to make my house bathroom wheelchair accessible. But I hate to wait for the sidewalks.
But after being so disappointed I didnt get what I wanted, I cant believe the rest came to me. I love the pathways. One goes around a golf course. This long path will be soooo cool. One side of the cannal is paved for bikes, joggers, chairs, etc. The other is for horses. I cant wait for it to be done
Greg
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