City asks residents to name new park, rec facilities

Maricopa is catching up to its growth and adding a regional park and other public amenities, but the city is still searching for the right name for those places.

Residents are invited to suggest names for the multigenerational and aquatic center and the regional park adjoining it, both to be located on the corner of John Wayne Parkway and Bowlin Road.

“I think it’s critical to get the right name for the right place,” said Kelly Anderson, Maricopa’s first mayor. 

Soliciting suggestions from the public is “an additional way to get the community excited about the new facility,” said LaTricia Woods, the city’s spokeswoman.

There are some guidelines for the process.

Names are encouraged to reflect adjoining subdivisions or communities, prominent geographical features or places or even historical events.

Anderson agreed with that advice. 

“You have to stay close to what’s here,” Anderson said, suggesting prominent geographical feature or the names of surrounding regional areas. 

Anderson also suggested a name that’s “easy to say and people have a history with.” 

The name also should “fit in the region of the city (the property) is in,” he said.

Anderson cited Pacana Park as an example of a well-named city property. 

“Pacana” is Spanish for pecan and the park once was a pecan grove.