An open space gem next to downtown needing restoration and protection for generations to come
A Personal Essay from Colleen McHorney, Parents for a Car Free West Granite Creek Park
Like so many of us living here, what I love most about Prescott is its unparalleled beauty and access to natural space. In 2011, my husband and I bought our home in the Dexter neighborhood, near the confluence of Miller and Butte Creeks. At that time, I made a vow to be a caring steward of this land. To this day, I continue that commitment.
Via Prescott’s Greenways Trail, West Granite Creek Park (WGCP) connects our Dexter neighborhood with downtown. This is where my neighbors and I walk our dogs, ride our bikes, stretch our legs on lunch breaks, commute to work or school, or simply enjoy a quiet moment. We take refuge here. This park is essential for our connection to the natural world, inspiring creativity and cultivating healthy spirits. All of us, adults and children alike, are in desperate need of solace and respite.
Here’s a brief history of this park. In 1997, Prescott Alternative Transportation identified this area as integral for pedestrians and cyclists. In 2000, WGCP was established with the help of many community organizations. With the development of the West Granite Creek Park Master Plan, this area was codified as a vehicle-free riparian open space. However, in 2021, the city opened the park to vehicles and made plans to permanently pave and redefine the area as a parking lot. For more information, see prescottbikeped.com.
Sensing the urgency to save our park, I established Parents for a Car Free WGCP. Today, I work alongside Dexter neighborhood residents, community organizations, and local businesses. In February of this year, my son and I, along with an outpouring of supportive local citizens, addressed our mayor and city council urging them to protect WGCP from being permanently paved. Parents and kids who wrote to council were a huge part of our success to save our park. It definitely takes a village!
Now we get to have fun engaging the community in the design and restoration of WGCP. We envision natural play areas that encourage exploration, creativity, physical activity, and connection to the natural world. This includes building a Kids’ Adventure Trail, establishing logs and boulders for climbing and balancing, constructing sand pits for digging, planting native trees, installing flower and butterfly garden beds, and more. My hope for the future of our park is that we will restore it to its natural splendor. May my family and yours continue to enjoy WGCP for generations to come.