Prescott Valley parks manager outlines upgrades, water-saving steps and tournament-driven visitation

Nick, Prescott Valley's parks manager, described recent park improvements, water-conservation upgrades and a rise in tournament-driven visitation during a PV In Focus episode. He said the department manages capital projects, daily maintenance and an 18-person crew that keeps the town's parks and trails operating.

The town maintains 26 developed parks, about 50 acres of irrigated turf, roughly 20 miles of pathways and trails, 19 playgrounds, 12 pickleball courts and two splash pads, Nick said. He also noted the department oversees field lights, artificial turf, fencing and playground replacements as part of its capital-improvement work.

On event support, Nick said Prescott Valley hosts two annual youth soccer tournaments plus many softball tournaments. A recent two-weekend soccer event drew roughly 30,000 visits across five parks, he said, which he described as a significant boost to local recreational tourism and related spending at hotels and restaurants.

To improve field preparation, the department has used a GPS-guided field-striping robot for about three years. "It's like a Roomba," Nick said. He said the technology reduced the number of staff needed to lay out a field from about four people to one, allowed custom line configurations and freed crews for other maintenance tasks.

Water conservation is a long-running focus, Nick said. Prescott Valley has used a weather-based, central-control irrigation system tied to the Prescott-area airport data for about 13 years, funded in part by federal Bureau of Reclamation grants. The system, he said, generated "millions of gallons" in savings in the first years and "paid for itself in the first three years." The department plans upgrades including leak detection, master-valve control and soil sensors to refine runtime by spot conditions.

On trees and canopy, Nick noted the town's 22-year Tree City USA designation and a policy of planting drought-tolerant species, replacing removed trees and running a memorial-tree program that plants about 10–15 trees per year. He asked residents interested in memorial trees to contact the parks and recreation office or call the department at 928-759-3090 to begin the process.

Nick also addressed lake management at Fain Park and other reclaimed-water lakes. The town contracts for cattail control and algicide treatments, monitors water quality and partners with the Arizona Game and Fish Department for fishing regulations and stocking. He said the department installed an aeration system last year to raise oxygen levels after past fish kills and that staff continue regular water testing and algae monitoring.

A wooden pedestrian bridge at the Fain Park lake was removed because repeated flooding and weathering made it unsafe, Nick said; the town will consider replacement when site conditions and broader sand-and-gravel operations allow. He highlighted two recent park projects—Quailwood and Antelope Park—completed with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) assistance and credited colleague Ryan Judy with help securing the grant funds. Both parks, he said, show strong community usage and include ADA-focused surfacing and inclusive play features.

The episode closed with the host thanking the parks staff for daily maintenance and stewardship that support residents and visitors. Nick emphasized ongoing attention to water use, accessibility and maintenance as the department balances operations with capital improvements.