In the past year, many projects have been completed which improve the amenities of Show Low for the enjoyment and use by residents and visitors alike. In partnership with Arizona Game and Fish, improvements were made to Show Low Creek and ADA-accessible boat ramps and improved fish habitats.
Cit staff is thankful for the partnership and support we received from Arizona Game and Fish and we are even more grateful to have been able to implement these improvements for the community to enjoy.
Please see the below commendation letter received.
Commission Certificate of Appreciation
The City of Show Low
Partnerships are a critical component of the AZ Game and Fish Department being able to get projects done on the ground. The City of Show Low has epitomized “partnership” and has played a critical role in the region, as we have worked to improve both fishing access and the fishing success of our shared constituents. The region would like to highlight a few examples of how the city of Show Low has worked to achieve this.
Show Low Creek Meadow - Over the course of roughly 20 years the City of Show Low purchased about 70 acres that they have worked hard to build into a recreational area that includes a Community Fishing Water. They have enhanced this location and community fishing water by seeking funding, or providing it themselves, to build restrooms and a pavilion, build an ADA accessible trail with informational signs as well as ADA fishing piers and access points.
In addition to the work along Show Low Creek Meadow the City of Show Low and the Arizona Game and Fish Department have partnered for many years on the management of Commission owned lands around Show Low Lake. The city owns a large portion of the lake that they manage for recreation by providing campgrounds, picnic areas, and two fishing piers that allow for increased access to Show Low Lake for our anglers. Through an agreement with the Department the City of Show Low also manages facilities on Commission owned lands adjacent to Show Low Lake, which include multiple campsites, a fish cleaning station, and restrooms, to name a few.
When the Department talked to the city about the need to enhance the fish habitat in the lake to improve habitat quality for warm water fish, the city jumped at the opportunity. The city provided no less than 15 individuals for each day of a two part project to build and install a total of 166 structures. They not only provided much of the manpower to build these structures they also provided for storage of materials, a warehouse to build the structures in the first phase and to top it off they provided lunch for everyone during phase two!
Finally, the city is currently partnering with the Department to bring the boat ramp access point on Commission owned lands into ADA compliance. The city has put forth $40,000+ of their own money to provide the match money for a federal grant to fund the entirety of the project. In addition, the city is running the day-to-day operations of the project which will free up Department staff to work on other boater access projects around the state.
As a result of all of the hard work, funding, and partnerships on projects we would like to present this Arizona Game and Fish Commision Certificate of Appreciation to the City of Show Low. The Department would like to specifically thank Bill Kopp, Rick Austin and Jay Brimhall for their on the ground partnership and support. The Department also wants to recognize that these projects would not be possible without the support of the city council and other leadership who make these projects a reality.