School House Road Trail approved
Town council also OKs Yavapai Downs for off‑track wagering
by Brian DiTullio

CAVE CREEK – The town’s trails project continues, as town council last week approved Phase III–the School House Road Trail.

Associate Planner/Trails Bambi Muller announced at the Tuesday council meeting that Larson Excavating LLC was the winning bidder for the construction contract in an amount not to exceed $14,980.

Mayor Vincent Francia praised Muller for her work. “Bambi, I have no doubt you’ll take this to–Phase 20,” he said.

Muller said she hoped that was so, but indicated to The Desert Advocate on Thursday that Phase IV could take years, due to the lack of easements in the proposed area.

Phase III, scheduled to begin construction sometime this week, will run two miles along the length of School House Road.

It will be built entirely on the western side of the road, thereby eliminating any need to cross the roadway on what Muller termed “dangerous hills.”

The trail will connect with Spur Cross Road Trail, which comprised Phases I and II and is about three miles long.

The goal, said Muller, is to eventually connect all Cave Creek trails with state lands trails in one big loop so that people walking those trails could access Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area and the Tonto National Forest from a single parking area.

Phase IV would be an east‑west corridor, but Muller explained there are not enough rights‑of‑way presently available to get moving on a trail design, or even a proposed path, in that there is a large amount of privately owned property in the areas where the trail would need to be located.

“Phase III was a tough enough sell, and that was on an existing right‑of‑way,” said Muller. “But I tell people that it’s mostly locals who will use it–the tourists are just going to drive to the park.”

Muller used a sidewalk analogy regarding putting trails around people’s homes.

“Some cities have sidewalks; we have trails,” she pointed out, adding she’s seen mothers with baby strollers on the trails.

In other business, the council approved Yavapai Downs to conduct off‑track wagering at Harold’s Cave Creek Corral for three years.

Mayor Vincent Francia excused himself from council chambers during the discussion and vote, due to his employment with Turf Paradise.

“It’s money for the town; it’s entertainment, and we’re pleased to have it,” said Councilman Thomas McGuire.