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Council approves trail maintenance contract after public calls to reopen Echo Canyon
Summary
Council approved a Mountain Preserve maintenance contract after public testimony calling for sustained trail maintenance; parks staff said Echo Canyon's closure followed storm-caused erosion, engineers are assessing boulder stabilization, and a reopening may be possible within about a week pending evaluation.
The Phoenix City Council on Dec. 3 approved a contract to provide Mountain Preserve maintenance services following public criticism about trail upkeep and the prolonged closure of Echo Canyon.
Public commenters urged the city to prioritize trail maintenance and expressed frustration that Echo Canyon — a heavily used trail — had been closed for weeks. "Echo needs to be open," one speaker said, calling for consistent upkeep and clarity about how maintenance funds are spent.
Parks and Recreation Director Cynthia Aguilar responded that the department fields service requests via the city's 311 system, maintains about 100 rangers (roughly 60% assigned to preserves), uses volunteers and contracts for major projects, and posts project updates online. She described recent work at Echo Canyon after heavy rains washed sediment out from under three large boulders; geotechnical and civil engineers have been engaged, crews are drilling and using expanding grout to reduce unstable boulder sizes, and staff said they "think we might be within a week of reopening" pending an engineer evaluation.
Council approved the maintenance contract by roll call (8–0). Several public speakers asked that future procurements and contracts address the long-term maintenance needs of the preserves and increase transparency about schedules and project timelines.
