InFocus - Issue 86 - Sep 2017 by City of Goodyear

Choreography by George Balanchine Â©The George Balanchine Trust

SEPTEMBER 2017

September 2017

ting c a r tt

Retail and entertainment establishments have just received another reason to choose Goodyear! The City Council recently

approved an incentive program* aimed at attracting these types of businesses.

So what would you like to see in Goodyear? A grocery store? Restaurant? Family fun? Let us know by participating in the poll at goodyearaz.gov/survey *The Incentive programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s goal is to attract new retail and entertainment options to ensure the city has a diverse, desirable mix of development, as well as draw people from the greater region. The program runs through June 30, 2019, and applies to new developments which are 5,500 square feet or larger designated as retail or entertainment.

GOODYEAR CITY COUNCIL CALENDAR September 11

6 p.m.

Council Meeting

September 18

5 p.m.

Work Session

Tune in to InFocus Live! With the monthly InFocus community magazine comes the

September 25

5 p.m.

Work Session

6 p.m.

Council Meeting

online video companion InFocus Live!, an on-demand web show that gives an inside look at life in Goodyear.

Work Session times are subject to change. Visit goodyearaz.gov/council-calendar to view updates. Council meetings and work sessions are held at Goodyear Justice Center, Goodyear Municipal Complex, 14455 W. Van Buren St., B101. Visit goodyearaz.gov for meeting schedules and to watch City Council meetings.

GOODYEAR CITY COUNCIL View past editions of the magazine at goodyearaz.gov/infocus and watch previous episodes of the show at goodyearaz.gov/infocuslive ON THE COVER: Ballet Arizona dancers wisp away on stage at the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 performance of Ballet Under the Stars at Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater.

InFocus Magazine

Top row (left to right): Bill Stipp , Joanne Osborne, Joe Pizzillo, and Brannon Hampton. Bottom row (left to right): Sheri Lauritano, Mayor Georgia Lord, and Vice Mayor Wally Campbell.

goodyearaz.gov/InFocus

Editor: Sherine Zaya Assistant Editor: Dawn Reid Writer: Amy Bolton Photographer: Geoff Kinnerk Layout Production: Sarna OBrien-Trayner Questions or comments, email: communications@goodyearaz.gov

From the Mayor

Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (G.A.I.N.) is a statewide day of celebration of the success of crime prevention through community involvement.

utumn is just around the corner! Finally, Goodyear residents can enjoy cooler temperatures, and spend more time exploring the outdoor amenities and special events that our wonderful city has to offer.

One of my favorite Goodyear events is our Fall Festival, which is scheduled to take Mayor place on Oct. 21 at the Georgia Lord Goodyear Ballpark. It is such a treat to observe Goodyearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth and families playing games together, sampling fabulous food, and excellent entertainment.

2017

Meet Goodyear police officers, get to know your neighbors and show your support for anti-crime programs.

Goodyear citizens are encouraged to join in the fun on Saturday, Nov. 4. To register your neighborhood event, see if an event is planned in your neighborhood, or for more information, please visit: goodyearaz.gov/gain Registration deadline: Friday, Sept. 15

Further, our Goodyear Community Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Market at the Goodyear Community Park brings together diverse vendors offering many local and seasonal produce and gift favorites. Last, but certainly not least, our Veterans Day tribute at the Goodyear Ballpark offers our community an opportunity to honor the veterans who have protected, and continue to protect, our precious freedoms. I hope to see you at one, or more, of these excellent events throughout the community this season!

Council Corner

I Council Member Brannon Hampton

t has been such a joy representing all residents over the past few months, and I am so thankful for this opportunity to serve alongside my fellow councilmembers. I have met with city staff on several occasions and understand the ins-and-outs of the city more and more each day.

My first Work Session as a councilmember was to discuss making a structural change for the annual Tale of Two Cities festival. If you recall, the Tale of Two Cities is a festival hosted between the city of Avondale and the city of Goodyear, starting with a parade, followed by an all-day festival. At the Work Session on June 26, Council discussed the opportunity to revamp the festival into an evening celebration to better suit the popular demands of today. This is just one example of how our Parks and Recreation Department is continuously planning and re-evaluating the events to coincide with resident expectations, in order to bring more families together. I love to spend time with my family and friends this time of year, whether it be at home or at a Goodyear hosted event. Goodyear strives to bring people together and build a sense of community, which is one of my focuses as a councilmember. On several

occasions, my family and I have taken the opportunity to join community members at a Goodyear celebration, GAIN event, or at one of the newly renovated parks to interact with our neighbors. I believe that the more our community is connected, the better the community will be, and I hope this mentality continues as our population grows. It is such a great time to live and work in this city, and I hope to see you and your family out taking advantage of what our city has to offer! September 2017

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Exhibits spotlight West Valley artists

he price for admission to this art gallery is free! The

The work displayed in this show provides the artists’ unique

Goodyear Branch Library hosts four exhibits featuring

point-of-view of the world, captured in a specific moment in time,

the work of local West Valley artists in various themes.

in an effort to bend the viewers’ perception by toying with the

The first in the series of exhibits, titled ‘Artwork Big & Small,’ is

size of the artwork and subject matter.

available for viewing September through November.

West Valley artists used words, letters, and numbers to create vivid, thought-provoking artwork.

2017-2018 Art Exhibits Artwork Big & Small September – November 2017 Spanning the Generations December 2017 – February 2018 Nature’s Beauty March – May 2018 Southwest is My Home June – August 2018 No Parking on the Bridge, created by artist Stacy Smith, was selected as the People’s Choice Winner for the Alphabet Soup exhibit.

Goodyear Branch Library, 14455 W. Van Buren Street, Suite C-101 For more information, visit goodyearaz.gov/library and goodyearaz.gov/arts 4

goodyearaz.gov/InFocus

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art

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in motion

The live piano music floods my ears as I walk into the Ballet Arizona offices. Immediately,

my attention is drawn to the movement in the room from where the music is coming. In the

black box theater is a group of young women in leotards and tights going through a sequence of turns at the direction of a focused instructor. He talks them through the move, and instinctively the professional pianist plays the same sequence of the gleeful song over and over to draw the dance out of the talented teen performers. What I thought would be a straight interview just became my own personal behind-thescenes look at the ballet.

Choreography by George Balanchine ÂŠThe George Balanchine Trust

by Amy Bolton

September 2017

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continued from page 5

y host for the morning is Hannah Cooper, marketing manager for Ballet Arizona. She explains to me that I am watching ballet students ranging in age from 14 to 20 years old. I stand for a moment in pure awe of the elegant beauty of the dancers. The way they translate their strength into a graceful glide across the floor is simply enchanting. These young, capable dancers have obviously invested years in training, so my first question to Hannah is about how the arts shape the social development of children. “At the beginning of their school year, we have these children that are… well, a little wild,” Hannah laughs. “By the time their spring performance comes, you see a whole new group of children. They are focused, disciplined but still having fun. Yes, the art of ballet teaches you to dance but it gives you so much more. You learn a sense of space, awareness, goal setting and rewards for achievement.”

BALLET SECRET: All of the pointe shoes used by Ballet Arizona are custom handmade for each dancer in London by various makers. It can take up to six weeks for the pointe shoes to arrive from the time of order. The shoes, which cost $95 per pair, can last one to perhaps two weeks, depending on the strength of the dancer’s feet. For a major role, such as the lead in Swan Lake, the dancer will go through a pair of pointe shoes every evening. At Ballet Arizona, the shoes are delivered to the dancers in a locked mailbox similar to a P.O. Box.

goodyearaz.gov/InFocus

As we continue our talk in the atrium, dancers begin to arrive and stretch. They carry on conversations while beginning to tune their bodies up for the day ahead. “Our professional dancers are as young as 20 years old,” explains Hannah. “We just had a dancer retire after 14 seasons with us. She is 35, and I believe starting a career in computer science.” My mind is flooded with questions about the lifestyle of these dancers, but my task today is to talk about the effort it takes to bring a production out on the road. “This is the twentieth year for Ballet Under the Stars,” Hannah tells me. “We take the full company of 30 professional dancers around to five different communities to give the public a free cultural event. There is a cultural shift happening in the Valley, and as the only professional ballet company in Arizona, we want to be a big part of that.” Hannah is definitely part of that shift. She is not simply working at Ballet Arizona, she embodies the very mission of what Ballet Under the Stars is about. As a young girl, her parents took her to see one of the performances of Ballet Under the Stars some 15 years ago. She was so inspired by that performance that she pursued a college degree in the arts. Hannah, a dancer herself, began working part-time at the box office of Ballet Arizona. Before long, she went full-time and moved from the box office to the Marketing Department, ultimately becoming the marketing manager promoting the very event she drew inspiration from as a young girl. “The response from the community for Ballet Under the Stars is overwhelming,” she gushes. “It’s like nothing else looking

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out and seeing the park full of people – some who are seeing ballet for the first time.” Our conversation moves from the atrium to a hallway that affords me a view into another studio where more dancers are receiving instruction. I am treated to a glimpse of Carlos Valcárcel, director of the School of Ballet Arizona, instructing the attentive group while the pianist plays the tune right on cue. Hannah explains the benefit of having a live, professional musician is the music can be adjusted on the spot to the instructor’s and dancers’ needs, making for a more dynamic experience over pre-recorded music. Just when I think the day could not get any better, the ultimate happens – we go into the workshop where some of the sets are kept. Seeing the props up close, within arm’s reach, ignites a fire in me to be in the audience the next time they are on stage. The tall ceilings allow for storage of all sorts of enchanting things. As we walk through the workshop by the sleigh featured in the Nutcracker, we come to a back door. Every time I have opened a door at Ballet Arizona, there has been a world of delight on the other side. This door does not disappoint. With one single step, we go from the industrial world of a functional workshop that smells of wood and metal tools, to a scene straight out of a movie – we are in the costume room, and I am in pure heaven. There are rows of sewing machines and an endless array of spools of thread that create a rainbow of color. Although today the machines sit silent, I can picture the flurry of activity that must take place in this room before a production. Across

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the room hang the costumes for Romeo and Juliet. Offered the opportunity to lift the weight of Juliet’s gown, I eagerly experience the heft of the hand-sewn garment. It is beautiful, intricate and weighty, challenging my strength to lift it, even with the help of the hanger from which it drapes. Giddy from the tour, I ask Hannah one final question as we head back toward the entrance: what do you want people to know about ballet? “Ballet can enhance and change people’s lives. It provides a sense that magic is real,” she shares. “There is hard work behind that magic. There are people behind that magic and anybody can be a part of it. Come out to any arts event and you may see that, like me, arts can put you on a course for your life that makes you happy.” I take my last glimpses of the dancers and with the push of the door, the piano music fades, and I am suddenly back out into the real world.

Your chance to see the magic of art in motion happens on Saturday, Sept.30 at 5:30 p.m. when Ballet Arizona comes to our city at the Lakeside Amphitheater in Estrella for the annual free performance of Ballet Under the Stars. For more information on Ballet Arizona, visit balletaz.org and for the latest information on city news and events, visit

goodyearaz.gov September 2017

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Arts & Culture Coordinator Guylene Ozlanski, left, and Economic Development Director Michelle Lawrie team up to help the arts and business communities – both valuable contributors to quality of life – find prosperity in the city of Goodyear.

Art Means Business by Amy Bolton

allet Arizona demonstrates how the arts play a role in the social development of people, but can the arts also contribute to the economic development of communities? That is precisely the question posed by a 2017 study titled, “Arts & Economic Prosperity 5” by Americans for Art. “Public art gives the community a voice for expression that is available for everyone to experience,” said Guylene Ozlanski, the city’s arts and culture coordinator. “Art gives us a sense of who we are in the moment. It provides an interpretation of the place we are in time.” Where we are in time is an interesting thought. I was sitting with Guylene at Starbucks on a sunny late summer morning when she delivered this eloquent message. The backdrop of the café is a living example of Guylene’s words. With the busy weekday morning off and running, people from nearby businesses are grabbing a refreshment to jumpstart their day. Healthcare workers from the nearby medical campuses come by in their scrubs while busy moms in workout gear bring delighted toddlers in for a snack, and rushed commuters snatch their mobile order and run out the door without getting off the phone.

goodyearaz.gov/InFocus

So, what does a busy Starbucks have to do with art and a healthy economy? The three are intimately tied together and interdependent. As Goodyear’s Economic Development Director Michelle Lawrie explains, “The businesses we all want in our neighborhoods follow rooftops. Rooftops locate where demand is, and the people who create the housing demand need jobs that businesses provide.” Let’s dive a little deeper. For a healthy economy, there needs to be natural resources available to sustain businesses and those businesses require people to operate and support them. Looking back over a century, we can see Goodyear’s start as a city came with the need for a specific type of cotton to supply an industry. People migrated out West to work that industry. Houses popped up, businesses to support those workers soon followed, and our city unfolded. The creative economy in the West Valley is like the cotton industry that grew from the ground. The CEO and President of Americans for the Arts, Robert Lynch, believes community leaders across America share in thinking “the arts are an investment that delivers both community well-being and economic vitality.” Not only does public art add a sense of place through design, the arts drive an economy by creating jobs, encouraging tourism and promoting spending.

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$23 million

The amount of spending non-profit arts and culture organizations and their audiences contributed to the West Valley economy in Fiscal Year 2015.

82 percent

of Americans believe arts and culture are important to local business and the economy.

Four Goodyear artists created artwork that reflects their community vision of Goodyear. The local artists currently exhibited include: Debra Goley, Bonnie Lewis, Kim Wagner-Hemmes, and Ryan Williams. The artwork will be displayed April-October on banners affixed to 160 light poles around the city.

After our meeting at Starbucks, I decided to take a drive around the city – this time with a fresh set of eyes focused on public art. This type of windshield tour is something the city’s economic development team does when they recruit businesses. “We show prospective investors what Goodyear is about by bringing them out of the office into the community,” says Michelle. “They can see our city on a map, but when we bring them to the neighborhoods, to the parks and travel the streets – people gain a sense of who we are as a community. Art adds to this experience in a subtle but impactful way.” A modern ode to our agricultural roots can be found in a few pieces of public art: Cotton Columns by artist Jim Gallucci at the Goodyear Park & Ride; the Bullard Avenue underpass at I-10 by artist Laurie Lindquist; and the latest installment of freeway beautification at the aptly named Cotton Lane Loop 303 overpass at Van Buren Street. While each is an artistic representation of the plant that spurred our modern economy, I find the placement of these pieces so fitting. As the commuting public passes by these expressions of art, they are being treated to a snapshot in time of a moment in our city’s history. As the latest generation of pioneers pass by on their way to modern industries – some stopping for a cup of coffee on the way to work – I wonder in 100 years from now, in a different time, what will the artwork be that graces the landscape of the future Goodyear? The source for the information contained in this story is a study by the Americans for the Arts, 2017 which can be accessed at www.americansforthearts.org.

September 2017

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Water Source, Marta Thoma, Roscoe Dog Park, 3075 N. Litchfield Rd. Water, its importance and source, provided inspiration for this large-scale curvilinear sculpture. “Rivers” of colored glass bottles echo the nearby Gila River in this environmental work.

On Display: Public Art

lthough at first you might not notice it, chances are as you travel around Goodyear, you pass by a piece of public art. On your next trip around the city, keep an eye out for any one of 21 pieces of public art. From Goodyear Ballpark to the dog park, art is part of the fabric of our city – adding to a sense of place and providing a mechanism for community expression. Look for another installment of public art to be included in the future recreation campus – a 40,000 square foot aquatics and recreation center that will sit alongside a 30-acre community park at the intersection of Goodyear Boulevard and Estrella Parkway. Design will take place this fiscal year, while construction is scheduled for next year with an expected completion in 2020. For more information, visit goodyearaz.gov/arts Brotherhood, Veterans in “Art a Path to Healing” program, Goodyear Ballpark, 1933 S. Ballpark Way Envisioned, designed, fabricated, and installed by local veterans for the purpose of paying tribute to the honor and sacrifice of all who served, and their families. This uniquely collaborative process included men and women, spanned generations, and represented all five branches of service. The sculpture communicates the strength, survival and commitment of all who serve. “Brotherhood” is a bond that shall not be broken.

goodyearaz.gov/InFocus

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Honor Wall, Chris Klein, Meltdown Glass, Police Operations Facility, 11 N. 145th Ave. Located near the entrance on the Ceremonial Lawn, this vibrant artwork is a celebration of the service and commitment to excellence of the Goodyear Police Department.

Recyclamation, Gallery 37, West Valley Arts Council, Liberty Utilities Palm Valley Waste Water Treatment Plant, 14222 W. McDowell Rd. The artwork flows through seven monolithic-style pillars that ends with a spherical structure. Each piece is adorned with tile to communicate the process of renewal.

Centennial, Gallery 37, West Valley Arts Council, Estrella Mountain Regional Park, 14805 W. Vineyard Ave. In the shadow of the Estrella Mountains, 11 Centennial Trail Markers stand as sturdy sentinels to tell the story of the geography, culture, history and peoples of the region. Visitors are invited to explore this walking timeline as each disk tells a story through artistic illustration and historical facts.

September 2017

Traffic Safety Tip

Put down the phone andâ&#x20AC;Ś

This month: Distracted Driving

ccording to the Brain Injury Society, texting while driving is just as dangerous as getting behind the wheel after drinking four beers, increasing chances of a crash by 23 percent. In 2015, 3,477 people were killed and 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. Pedestrian deaths also have gone up in the last several years, a statistic which many attribute to distracted driving. Young drivers are growing up in a generation where cellphones are constantly being used, therefore making it necessary to bring awareness to the dangers of distracted driving. Arizona is one of the only states without a distracted driving law, however many jurisdictions do have city codes or ordinances restricting cell phone use and texting. Goodyear Police want the public to be safe! Pay careful attention to the road and avoid cell phone use while driving.

Traffic-related questions sent Goodyear Traffic Unit Traffic-related questions cancan bebe sent to to Goodyear PDPD Traffic Unit Sgt. J. Seabright at jseabright@goodyearaz.gov or call at 623-882-7735. Sgt. J. Seabright at jseabright@goodyearaz.gov or call at 623-882-7735.

HOLIDAY TRASH COLLECTION SCHEDULE City offices closed and sanitation pickup changes City offices will be closed and there will be no trash, recycling or bulk pickup on September 4 in observance of Labor Day. Waste collection will move to the day after the regularly-scheduled pickup day. For more information and a holiday sanitation service schedule, call 623-932-3010 or visit

goodyearaz.gov/trash

goodyearaz.gov/InFocus

For more information and to take the pledge, visit:

nsc.org #JustDrive

places to go and things to do

For more information, check out Special Events under the Residents tab at goodyearaz.gov

september

Ballet Under the Stars Hot Coffee Arts Lecture Movie Nights at Goodyear Ballpark

october

Art of Cultures Expo Fall Festival Coffee with a Cop Fall Concert Series Hot Coffee Arts Lecture

november

Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods (G.A.I.N.) Veteran’s Day Tribute Wag & Tag Chalk Art in the Park Coffee with a Cop

december

#GTK Good To Know How to reserve a park ramada?

esidents who want take advantage of the cooler temperatures by celebrating outside with family and friends may be interested in one of the city’s eight ramadas available for rent. Goodyear Community Park, 3151 N. Litchfield Road, has seven ramadas which can accommodate up to 25 people each. All of them have grills and several of them include electrical outlets. A bounce house, from an approved list of vendors, is permitted in ramada number 1. If more than 25 people are expected at an event, the ramada at Falcon Park, 15050 W. Indian School Road can accommodate up to 50 people. Amenities include an electrical outlet for a bounce house from an approved list of vendors, and room for extra tables and chairs but be prepared to bring your own grill. So whether it’s a reunion, birthday, or simple barbecue, reserve a city ramada by visiting the Recreation Office, 3075 N. Litchfield Rd., online at:

goodyearaz.gov/government/ parks-recreation click on Facility Rentals, or call 623-882-7525.

Fees, due at time of booking, range from $35 to $65 per four-hour block.

Home Plate for the Holidays Fill-a-Need Shop with a Cop Estrella Vista Park South

September 2017

Meet TOM, one of the city’s newest ‘employees’

he city has a rather unconventional, new “employee.”

“We want to put people at ease. We want them to write on him and

Sitting loudly in a row of nondescript, no-nonsense city

talk with us. To date, we’ve gotten feedback on everything from

vehicles, the Topics on the Move (TOM) van screams for

how people prefer to get their city news to their opinion of the

attention, with its bright colors and eye-catching graphics.

Goodyear Police Department,” says Christina.

When it’s parked at an event, people can’t help but notice it.

Earlier this year, the TOM van provided a mobile meeting spot

That’s the point.

in an undeveloped location for the Economic Development and

“The TOM van brings the meeting to Goodyear residents

Development Services departments’ staff as they chatted with

at times and locations that’s convenient for them,” says

residents about the rezoning of several pieces of land in the

Neighborhood Services Coordinator Christina Plante. “Many

PV303 corridor.

people work, and they’re taking kids to practices or running

The TOM van has been seen by more than 6,000 people

errands and, in general, they’re really busy. We realize maybe

since its debut at the Tale of Two Cities parade and festival this

they can’t make it to council meetings – or maybe they’re

past February.

not comfortable in a formal setting. The TOM van helps to eliminate those issues.”

Residents can expect to see TOM at select city events and locations to weigh in on important topics such as: budget;

The TOM van is essentially a mobile meeting venue for

survey follow ups; park improvements; master planning; and

individuals who live, work and play in Goodyear. It’s wrapped

grassroots education.

in a vibrant, vinyl material that can be written on with provided wet-erase markers. A matching, branded portable bar, stools and umbrella also draw people in, and provide shade and seating. 14

goodyearaz.gov/InFocus

“We talk about TOM as if he’s a real character,” says Christina. “We have a lot of fun with him.”

#goodyearTOM

Ameliorate: Public Health & Safety How did soggy paper help improve public health and safety at Goodyear Community Pool?