Hunting for parklets

I didn't come across any new small parks during December, so I don't have any to post here for January. I've done some searching online and found a few places to check out. If you know of a pocket park that isn't on this list — which is open to the public without payment — I'd be glad to pass your tips on to other readers. You can reach me through the TucsonArt.info comment form.

See you next month!

Take a break at Grant-Campbell Park(let)

Just northwest of the traffic-clogged Grant-Campbell corner is this patch of green:

Logically enough, its official name is Grant-Campbell Park. Thanks to sponsor U of A Phi Delta Chi (the professional pharmacy fraternity - Alpha Nu Chapter), you can pull over here on your bike — or park on a side street from your car — to catch your breath along a busy ride.

Location: Northwest corner of Grant & Campbell

Parking: Street parking on Edison Avenue just northwest of the park

Hours: You'll probably like daylight more than the distant nighttime streetlights and car headlights along Grant, just south

Peaceful corner at Govinda's

Maybe you've come to Govinda's to chow down on their vegetarian buffet or for one of the festivals. (For more about Govinda's, see the ISKCON website.)

Besides the outdoor patio near their buffet — which doesn't count as a parklet because it's a restaurant seating area — head toward the back (north) side of the parking lot to find an aviary and koi pond with some benches and stones for sitting. It makes a nice place to relax before or after a meal — or even if you just want to stop by for a complete change of scene. (I wouldn't suggest spending a long time here unless you check with the people who live at Govinda's. This small space is next to private residences. If you love this little spot, you could always book some time in their guest cottage.)

Location: Just east of 1st Avenue, north of Glenn

Parking: Small parking lot, but street parking just outside the entrance on Blacklidge is kind to other visitors

Hours: Lunch through dinner unless you're staying overnight

Labyrinth at Unity of Tucson

There are lots of labyrinths around Tucson; we can't list them all here. (If you'd like to find others, try the Worldwide Labyrinth Locator.) As Unity's website says, “Unity of Tucson is a Church, School, Bookstore, Wedding Chapel, Health Ministry, and a House of Worship...”

Along the middle of their north-most parking lot (which is graveled) is a sign welcoming you to the labyrinth and asking for quiet. At times when the parking lots aren't emptying or filling, it's definitely quiet.

If you aren't familiar with labyrinths: A labyrinth is a place for meditation… for some people, it's a holy journey. As you walk very slowly around, step by step (it's not a maze; there's only one path through), noticing the details along the way can help make your time there more meditative. For instance, Unity's mural is lined with small colored tiles and some hearts. There's more about labyrinth walking at Walking the Labyrinth: Labyrinth Walking for Spiritual Exercise.

Location: 3617 N. Camino Blanco (south of River Road between Swan and Craycroft), north of gravelled north parking lot

Parking: Parking lots south of labyrinth

Hours: Daylight hours (though it's also magical at night, with a flashlight and city lights in the distance... no other lighting). It's hot out here in the summer, so early mornings or evenings may be best then.

Plaza Palomino

Although Plaza Palomino is a shopping center, it's also a place with benches for sitting (many of them shady at different times of day):

There's a fountain in the middle of the complex:

There are also restrooms, a drinking fountain, and plenty of shops to browse if you'd like.

Location: Southeast corner of Swan & Fort Lowell (not Camp Lowell)

Hours: Business hours (into the evenings when the restaurant — currently closed — is operating)

Parking: Lots on north and south sides (south lot is bigger)

Women's Plaza of Honor

The University of Arizona campus has lots of surprises scattered around (and in) its buildings. Between Centennial Hall and the south side of the Arizona State Museum — just inside the Main Gate, southeast of University & Park — is a long, narrow memorial to Arizona women. (It's also lined with shady spaces — including benches hidden under cool, spreading trees.) You'll probably see the north end first:

That's one of three parts — north, Youth Plaza; center, Maturity Plaza; and south, Seniority Plaza — representing three stages of a woman's life.

As you can see above, the Youth Plaza is a series of arches supported by columns with curved sides. Each arch describes the women memorialized below it. For instance, the arch inscribed Women Lawyers … Women Leaders has two lists of women's names below it, one on each column. Here's one of the two:

The whole plaza is lovingly documented on its website, womensplaza.arizona.edu. There — among many other things — you can look up an honoree by her name (on the Women Honored list) or see lists of the Youth Plaza arches and the women listed under each (for instance, Women Lawyers … Women Leaders).

The central part, Maturity Plaza, is lined with low walls topped by tile mosaics like this:

The plaza was dedicated in 2005:

Location: See first paragraph above

Hours: 24 hours

Parking: Street parking along University Blvd. west of Park Avenue, campus parking.

Fixed location for El Parque de Orlando y Diego Mendoza, and others

The other two blogs I contrubute to, The Tucson Murals Project and Tucson Mailbox Art, have a place near the bottom of each entry that gives its location. You can click on that location to get a Google map.

I've filled in the location box most times I've made entries here on the Tucson's Pocket Parks blog. But today I discovered that the location info hasn't been appearing as it does on the two other blogs. I just fixed that this morning. So, although this particular entry you're reading just now doesn't have a location to click (because this entry isn't about a particular place), most of the others should.

If you'd like an example, have a look at the end of our February, 2015 entry 8 x 18.

See you next month!