Did you know that... well, what shall we call it... the landscaped area in front of Nogales City Hall is not a park?

You know the place. Many of you drive or walk by it every day. It’s where the memorial wall for our veterans is erected. Where there are park benches, plush green grass, huge trees, sculptures, a fountain, and children playing in the faux stream that circulates from the fountain to a pond.

Sounds like a park; looks like a park; but it’s not officially considered a park by our municipal bureaucracy and in fact is not maintained by the parks and recreation department.

It doesn’t matter much, especially to the children who frolic in the water; the lovers on the benches staring endlessly into each others’ eyes; the beautiful quinceaneras and giddy brides-to-be who have their photo sessions there. A rose is a rose by any other name, no matter who prunes it.

In Nogales, we have always lacked public green areas for people to simply congregate. The newest one really is a park – the Camp Little Park – on Western Avenue, completed in November 2008 at a cost of nearly $800,000. It was the first park constructed in 15 years. It wasn’t cheap, but has been a real godsend to the children and residents of the area, who so far seem to have taken pride and maintained the beautiful facility with its ramadas, basketball court, and jungle gym. It was worth every penny.

Do we need to wait another 15 years before we see the second phase planned just east of the present facility? Bonds were earmarked for this project during the Kramer administration. What happened?

Yes, we need to fix the Nogales Wash. Mastick Way needs sidewalks; the north end of Morley Avenue requires a major facelift; and we urgently have to find a final resting place for those who have gone to the great beyond.

But Nogales needs parks, folks. As our city leaders make decisions on how to spend our tax dollars, they should keep in mind the words of the musician formerly known as Cat Stevens: “Where will the children play?”

(Write us at 268 W. View Point Dr or manuel.coppola@nogalesinternational.com)