SMALL-TOWN STORIES City of Clarkdale, Arizona, a small town with a pop-ulation of 4,900, opened a STEAM (science, technolo-gy, engineering, art and math) park in 2025 with support from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and donors from the local area. PHOTO COURTESY OF DOUG VON GAUSIG The Small Town of Clarkdale Builds a STEAM Park I By Chell Smart n the Verde Valley of northern Arizona, Town of Clarkdale, which has a population of 4,900, took on a multimillion-dollar dream park project and made it real. As a historic mining town, our identity is rooted in our industrial past, but our future is being written through partnership. When the local mining company volunteered for a town-wide soil remediation project, it provided a clean slate to reimagine public space. This spirit of cooperation turned a quiet, abandoned ballfield — do-nated by the Selna and Mongini families — into an opportunity for transformation. We did not guess what the neighborhood needed; we asked. Through open houses, surveys and commission meetings, a clear consensus emerged. Res-idents did not want another ball-field; they wanted a sanctuary for gathering, walking dogs, learning and safe play. The Clarkdale Parks and Recreation Commission estab-lished two non-negotiables: ADA access and shade. In Arizona, “safety first” means “shade first.” Our town’s commitment to water conservation inspired a unique ed-ucational STEAM (science, tech-nology, engineering, art and math) theme for the park. Three Tips for Small Towns Seeking Federal Grants 1 Recruit volunteer specialists: Retired residents with technical writing backgrounds are helpful with grant compliance. Partner with your administra-tor: Ask questions early, follow up until you understand and treat them as part of your team. Read the fine print: Review all grant requirements before breaking ground. 2 3 The Funding Miracle For a park and recreation team of two — Director Joni Westcott and me, Park Manager Chell Smart — building the park our commu-14 Parks & Recreation | APRIL 2026 | PARKSANDRECREATION.ORG
Parks Recreation Magazine April 2026: Page 14
