Aug. 28--A Pima County proposal to create an expansive sports-park complex at the site of the existing Roger Road Wastewater Treatment Plant deserves more consideration. While details must be worked out and public meetings held to determine if the plan holds water, it's clear that the idea at least holds promise. But enthusiasm for more park space and sports fields -- which are needed -- shouldn't overshadow the step that must come first. We must decide how to best improve our regional sewage system. The foul odor emanating from the Roger Road plant must be addressed. Pima County has new environmental regulations it must meet. We understand that the initial step to currying public support for a project -- especially one that requires bond money -- is to float the idea and see how it plays. The sports-complex plan would, in essence, swap the locations of the Roger Road plant with existing ballfields at Tucson SportsPark, which is next to the Ina Road wastewater treatment plant. The Roger Road plant would be closed or greatly reduced, and its functions would be taken over by the Ina Road plant, using county-owned land that is now part of Tucson SportsPark. The proposed complex would be built on 375 acres on the east side of the Santa Cruz River, between the river and Interstate 10. The city's Christopher Columbus Park is on the west side of the Santa Cruz, and the proposed complex would not affect the park or existing plans to build two fields and other improvements that were part of a 2004 bond package, said Rafael Payan, Pima County parks director.
As drawn, the new sports park would boast 18 soccer fields, 12 softball diamonds, 12 baseball diamonds, plus restrooms, snack bars and playgrounds. It sounds great. But the park plan is contingent on the Pima County Wastewater Management's recommendation -- and the Board of Supervisors' ultimate decision -- on what to do with the Roger Road sewage plant. The wastewater department is now working with a consultant on how to best meet new environmental regulations that require reducing nitrogen levels in effluent produced by the wastewater system, said deputy director Mike Bunch. Pima County must submit its plan to upgrade the system to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality early next year and have improvements completed within eight years, Bunch said. The county could decide to keep the Roger Road plant with a major overhaul, tear it down and rebuild it to the same capacity, rebuild a smaller plant and divert some sewage to the Ina Road treatment plant, or tear down the Roger plant and send the waste to a greatly expanded Ina Road plant. While those options don't have individual price tags yet, Bunch estimates it will take $90 million to $150 million to upgrade the system to meet the new nitrogen regulations.
The point is, the county's wastewater department doesn't yet know the best way to proceed, and the Board of Supervisors hasn't weighed in. So it's premature to put much stock in the new regional parks plan just yet. Much has to happen before any of this could become a reality, and even then it would take years to complete. The county, city and state all own parcels that would be involved, and those kind of negotiations are rarely simple. The sewage plant needs to be resolved. Voters would have to approve $24 million in bonds to pay for the new park and fields. The question could be moot. But operating on a best-case scenario, a regional sports complex would be a fine use of land that, politely speaking, no one wants to be near right now. If the Roger Road plant is closed and demolished, the swath of acreage could be put to good community purpose as much-needed sports fields, a wetlands birding area and potential commercial development, like hotels and restaurants to serve out-of-town teams Payan predicts would flock to the new complex for sports tournaments. But first things first. Bunch said the county wastewater department is working to fix the odor problems at the Roger Road plant and throughout the sewer system. And he said new wastewater treatment technology better handles the odor problems inherent in sewage treatment, so any system upgrade should help with the rank smell that wafts from the Roger Road plant. The plant's neighbors -- and drivers along I-10 -- deserve a breath of fresh air. There is potential here. But the first priority must be making the best choice to revamp our sewage treatment system. We don't want to end up with a beautiful sports-park facility that no one wants to use because it, well, stinks.
Copyright (c) 2006, The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business
News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
