Rio Vista Natural Resource Park
The Heart of a Neighborhood in Midtown Tucson
by Max Wingert, Communications & Outreach Manager of WMG
WMG’s River Run Network helps people connect to and steward their local rivers, especially in urban areas of Tucson where our rivers and floodplains have been neglected. That’s why we’re thrilled to help guide a restoration initiative along the floodplain of the Rillito River, in the Rio Vista Natural Resource Park, working alongside passionate neighbors in midtown Tucson.
Let’s take a trip back to the early 1900s. The land that is currently Rio Vista Park, was not yet touched by Tucson’s rapid expansion, offering solitude and inspiration with its expansive views of the Santa Catalina Mountains and the wide and lush Rillito River with a ribbon of riparian forest and mesquite bosque tapped into the shallow groundwater. Fast forward to 1987, when the City of Tucson purchased the land within the RillitoBend Neighborhood.
The original idea? A golf training center for the UA, and then an urban ballpark with all the lights, bells, and whistles.
The reality? Years of fierce community debate to keep it natural.
Locals weren’t having it. Their voices were loud, clear, and persistent: leave the area alone. Neighbors argued for an open, natural desert park consistent with the history and values of the surrounding neighborhood. Situated on an alluvial plain of the Rillito River, Rio Vista retains remnants of its original mesquite bosque, supporting a diverse array of native and migratory wildlife.
Thanks to the advocacy of the RillitoBend neighborhood, the park has been protected since 1999 as one of the few natural resource parks in the City. A natural resource park protects the health of its natural resources—including vegetation, wildlife, and landscape—while being enjoyed by visitors through passive recreation. Recently, bond money was allocated to invest in the park by adding a splash pad. The neighbors spoke up again, loud and clear, that they were not interested in having a splash pad, but desired the funds to be used instead for restoration purposes.
Enter Mary D. Bird, Vice President of the RillitoBend Neighborhood Association: “Neighbors here really pride themselves on being in nature,” she says. “The park is kind of the heart of our neighborhood.”
Mary and her husband moved to Tucson after retiring from their work at the Smithsonian in 2016. She explains how she’d pass by the park every day on her walks, and gradually got involved in the neighborhood association and, subsequently, the natural resource park. With the new restoration project, large rain basins have been built to capture and infiltrate rainwater and stormwater into the floodplain. The project also includes removing non-native species, like sumac. This fall a variety of native plants will be added to the rain basins through volunteer work parties, with a focus on habitat plants good for birds and other wildlife.
“We’re working closely with Parks & Rec and Ward 3. In the hands of Catlow [Shipek, of WMG], along with the strong team that he brought in, we’ve made real progress.” Mary notes. “The park has become a beloved green space where people can connect with nature and with each other.”
Catlow Shipek, Sr. Program Director, worked with Strategic Habitat Enhancements to draft a restoration plan. He serves as an advisor to Parks and Rec working with a team of restoration professionals including Dryland Design, Tucson Audubon, and Arizona Conservation Corp. The revitalization of Rio Vista Natural Resource Park is about more than just creating a beautiful park. It's about access to nature in the middle of the city, restoring the floodplain of the Rillito River, and the power of grassroots stewardship efforts to care for our river ecosystems for the good of all plants, animals, and people.
- To support river restoration projects like this, join WMG’s River Run Network at Watershedmg.org/RRN.
- To learn more about the project, check out the Friends of Rio Vista website.
- If you want to support the park with removing invasive species, picking up trash, and other improvements, please contact neighbor Estelle Stern-Eilers at rbna@rillitobendna.org.