Happy Valley Park and Ride Scheduled for 2010 Opening

For the past few years, ongoing construction along Interstate 17 has made the daily commute into central Phoenix a headache for residents of New River, Anthem, and surrounding areas. Soon, a new Park and Ride facility will provide North Phoenix residents with a new option for commuting into the city.

For those not familiar with the idea of park-and-ride, here's how it works: you drive your personal vehicle to a Park and Ride facility and then leave it at the security-patrolled lot. From there, you board some type of public transportation such as a city bus, shuttle, or light rail to take you to your final destination.

The idea of Park and Ride began back in 1994, when the City of Phoenix approved a public transportation plan that called for a system of buses and 30 park-and-ride facilities to be constructed across the valley over the long term.

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Get Revved Up at Speed Sports USA in North Phoenix

Update: Speed Sports has gone out of business and their website is down.

An unassuming warehouse just north of Deer Valley Airport is home to one of North Phoenix's most underrated attractions.

It is here that contestants meet to do battle, where the difference between victory and defeat is measured in seconds, and where the only rule is: "No frowning."

Okay, I made that last one up. But you'd never know it wasn't really a rule, because everyone at Speed Sports USA sure smiles a lot. In fact, it's kind of contagious. There was a sense of excitement in the air as I stopped by to check it out one Saturday night.

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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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