PHOENIX — Maricopa City residents can now stroll through history thanks to a new sidewalk at Heritage Park.
Several city officials spoke Thursday at the park near Mercado and Honeycutt streets to mark the sidewalk's opening.
Local businessman Mike Ingram also spoke at the event, which was significant because the park and a new historical trail are now named after him.
“I love this city,” Ingram said. Thursday's press release.
His donation helped fund the project to improve the park’s design through this and other renovations.
Officials also celebrated the opening of the recently renamed History Trail at Mike Ingram Historic Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Ingram, founder and chairman of Eldorado Holdings, also holds minority ownership in the Arizona Diamondbacks. His company website.
How will Heritage Park's historical walking trail benefit Maricopa?
City officials celebrated the opening of the new walkway with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Visitors walking along the shaded lanes will learn about the town's humble beginnings.
This is because there are various plaques with pictures and text that tell the story of how a remote town, miles from the nearest highway, became a modern city.
The transition took some time because of the logistical challenges of securing water rights, powering the city and building modern infrastructure.
Ingram said there were so many challenges he couldn't even imagine taking on.
“When we first started the project, a lot of people thought we were crazy to take on a project like this,” Ingram said, “but we saw the potential and knew that if we could overcome the initial challenges with roads and utilities, we could create something truly special.”
According to the release, Ingram played a key role in laying the groundwork for the RAND El Dorado neighborhood, which was Maricopa's first planned community.
He said he was proud of the work of residents who have transformed what was once a desert backwater into a thriving community.
“We had the vision,” Ingram said, “but it was you guys who made it into what it is today.”
