WaterWorld Safari in North Phoenix, AZ Undergoing Major Renovations

Like many North Phoenix residents, I was stunned when I saw that WaterWorld Safari water park appeared to be closing its doors for good. In the Fall of 2008, the following message appeared on the website for Waterworld Safari:

Golfland Entertainment Centers has permanently ended its operation of WaterWorld Safari. We have enjoyed serving you for the past 16 years and invite you to visit us in 2009 at Big Surf in Tempe and Sunsplash in Mesa. Additionally, Golfland in Mesa is open year-round for family fun. Thank you for your patronage.

This potentially dire situation warranted an investigation on my part. How could one of North Phoenix's most popular attractions be closing? To put things in perspective, I should mention that WaterWorld Safari was the water park I had always gone to as a child. Going there with the family was a summer ritual to be greatly anticipated and remembered.

During the scorching summer months when temperatures would hit 110*F or higher, WaterWorld Safari was definitely the place to be. With over a dozen slides and attractions spread over 36 acres, it was truly an oasis in the desert. From the Serengeti Surf wave pool to the lazy river, the Kilimanjaro Speed Slides, and the enclosed "Black Hole" slide, WaterWorld offered something for everyone.

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North Phoenix High Rise Hotel Close to Completion

Deer Valley's newest high rise hotel is getting close to completion.

The hotel is currently under construction at 23rd Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road, just East of Interstate 17. When the 7-story structure is finished, it will be the new home of Drury Inn and Suites. With a total of 180 rooms, the Drury will be the largest hotel in North Phoenix.

Drury is a family-owned hotel chain that was first founded in Missouri. Arizona's first Drury Hotel opened in Flagstaff earlier this year. The Drury Inn and Suites Happy Valley will be their second Arizona location. Additionally, Drury owns and operates 115 hotels in 17 states according to their website.

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City of Phoenix to Open Agave Library This Summer

UPDATE: The Agave Library has been open since June 20, 2009.

If you haven't been up to North Phoenix in a while, you may not have known that a new branch of the Phoenix Public Library is set to open its doors this summer.

Located just down the road from the Goelet A. Beuf Community Center, the new Agave Library is on the corner of 36th Avenue just North of Pinnacle Peak Road. This will be very convenient for people in the Deer Valley and North Gateway areas.

According to the Phoenix Public Library website, funding for the Agave Library was approved in a 2001 bond election, and construction began in the fall of 2007.

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A Word of Caution About Abandoned Mines

With all of the golf courses, high-rise buildings, and the new Valley Metro light rail system, you might think that Phoenix has lost its Wild West charm. Although downtown is full of modern amenities, let me assure you that the desert is still a dangerous place. This is Arizona after all, where activities such as mining run deep in our history (and our land!). I think this is a great time to talk about the dangers of abandoned mines.

Phoenix has grown tremendously since the 1940s, when many of the mines in Arizona were shut down due to World War II. Mines that were once in remote areas are now literally in people's backyards. Our growing city is full of people who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking, camping, climbing, rock hounding, and 4-wheeling. Many of these people are unaware of the dangers of abandoned mines as they venture out into the desert for fun and adventure.

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Your Guide to Phoenix Events This Weekend

The weather forecast calls for this weekend falls somewhere between "awesome" and "perfect." I hope you're going to get out there and enjoy it before things really start to heat up! Here are some events going on this weekend to help get you started.

Men's Arts Council Field of Dreams Car Show
When: April 4th, 10am - 4:30pm
Where: Tempe Diablo Stadium, Tempe, AZ
What: Car show featuring rare and classic sports cars
Cost: Free
https://mensartscouncil.com/cs/

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Familiar Faces of Phoenix Airwaves Disappearing

One by one, the familiar faces of Phoenix's airwaves are disappearing.

It started in December when the Phoenix Business Journal announced that two of the Valley's most well-known radio hosts would be stepping down from the microphone for good. Disc jockeys Dave Pratt of KUPD and Camelback Jack of KOOL-FM would not be getting their contracts renewed.

This was a real bummer because I grew up listening to Camelback Jack, who has been providing Phoenix with good times and great oldies for nearly 20 years. Though I never listened to KUPD much, I was familiar with Dave Pratt and the KUPD Red Card that was good for a variety of discounts all over town.

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