By Les Conklin
This is a series of posts about roadside sprawl, preservation, and Scottsdale’s Scenic Drive, Scenic Corridors, and McDowell Sonoran Preserve. I have been involved with these subjects since the late 1980s and the goal is to share some of what I’ve learned and am learning.
Different Perspective
My perspective differs from that of most residents involved with creating the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, whose priority, to-date, has been saving the mountains and desert. My primary focus has been on preserving the desert vegetation, views, heritage, and remaining open space along the northern reaches of Scottsdale Road, and to a lesser extent Pima Road and Dynamite Boulevard. Of course, our perspectives and interests overlap, but to me what a tourist and resident sees from his car is just as important as what they see while hiking a desert trail. Both views are essential ingredients to building and protecting a special community, located in a beautiful part of the world.
Unique Sources, Motivation
In addition to having a different perspective, I also have also have unique sources of information to write these posts. The first is the Scenic Drive’s website, which I first developed in 1994 and used to provide information about the Scenic Drive, Scenic Corridors, the Preserve, and north Scottsdale. The second source are articles that were written for A Peek at the Peak magazine, which was first published in 1983. The third are editorials that were submitted to publications, such as the Arizona Republic. Finally, I hope that you will be the fourth source of content, by commenting on the blogs. The motivation to post these articles has been generated by 1) the outstanding success the City of Scottsdale and the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy has had, thus far, in fulfilling the original bold vision of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, 2) the challenges they face in adding designated prospective lands along Scottsdale’s Scenic Corridors, and 3) the need to provide basic education for many residents about Scottsdale’s intertwined preservation efforts.
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About the Author
In 1994, Les founded the Friends of the Scenic Drive to restore and revitalize the Scottsdale Road section of the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive; the drive had originally created by Maricopa County residents in 1963. Les was appointed to the Scottsdale Pride Commission in 1995, and during his tenure, the Adopt-a-Road program began, which included the Scenic Drive. Les organized the inaugural Cookout at the Ranch was held to raise funds for the Scenic Drive, and was later expanded to also raise funds for the McDowell Sonoran Land Trust.
Les was appointed to Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission. During his six years in this role, the planned Preserve boundaries were expanded to include links to the Scenic Drive, other scenic corridors and Phoenix open space. Les served on the board of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and is a member of the board of the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association – Friends of the Scenic Drive. Les also founded the Monte de Paz HOA and served on the board of the Pinnacle Peak Rotary Club. In 2014, Les was inducted into Scottsdale’s History Hall of Fame.
Related Articles
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 1. Roadside Sprawl Heading Our Way? – Published 5/27/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 2. Road to Groundhog Land – Published 5/28/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 3. Four Henchmen of Urban Sprawl – Published 5/28/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 4. Roadside Gorilla – Published 5/31/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 5. Dig Reveals Original Sprawl Solution – Published 6/1/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 6. Two Game Changers – Published 6/11/2014
Scenic Drive Post 7. After the Crash, An Update – Published 6/12/2014
Scottsdale Scenic Drive Post 8. New Scenic Drive Commercial Zoning? – Published 6/29/2014
Related Websites
Friends of the Scenic Drive (www.scenicdrive.org)
McDowell Sonoran Conservancy (www.mcdowellsonoran.org)
City of Scottsdale, Preserve (www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Preserve
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