Contributed article
SAFFORD — The community will gather June 23 at 11 a.m. for the groundbreaking ceremony of Mayor Jason Kouts Park, a new city park planned for the intersection of Discovery Park Boulevard and 8th Avenue in Safford.
The project represents one of the largest quality-of-life investments in the City of Safford’s current Capital Improvement Plan. First identified in the city’s 2023-28 Capital Improvement Plan, the approximately $9 million project is designed to create a destination park serving residents throughout the Gila Valley.
Plans for Mayor Jason Kouts Park include a splash pad, multiple playground areas, a zipline, pickleball courts, walking paths, ramadas, food truck and picnic areas, an amphitheater with lawn seating, parking facilities, and a pedestrian bridge across Graveyard Wash. Utility improvements, including sewer infrastructure, are also part of the project.
Funding includes approximately $2.5 million from American Rescue Plan Act and CARES Act funding, $200,000 from the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties for a walking bridge, and the remaining project costs funded by the City of Safford. The City Council awarded the construction contract to Danson Construction on March 23. Construction is expected to begin this summer and be completed in fall 2027.
“This groundbreaking represents more than the start of a project. It reflects our commitment to investing in quality of life for our residents and creating spaces where families can gather, kids can play, and our community can continue to grow together. Mayor Kouts Park will stand as a lasting tribute to service, leadership, and the vision for a stronger Safford,” said Mayor Richard Ortega.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be conducted by City Manager Dr. Eric Bejarano and will include an invocation by Dr. David Chapman of The River Community Church. Remarks will be provided by Ortega, Graham County Chamber of Commerce President Taylor Banks, and Maria Kouts Aguilar, wife of the late Mayor Jason Kouts, for whom the park is named.
Parking for the event will be located near the construction trailer south of 8th Avenue and 26th Street in Safford.
