Three community members were recently honored at the Pecos Community Center’s one-year anniversary open house. The city of Phoenix Police and Parks and Recreation departments teamed up to present three Community Action Awards to individuals who helped launch the Ahwatukee Foothills community center. Councilman Greg Stanton presented the awards on behalf of his district.

“Over the past year Ahwatukee Foothills has benefited greatly from the presence of the Pecos Community Center and this wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication these residents have shown for our community,” said Stanton of the awardees.

The Police Department awarded Mary Conant and Peggy Schaefer of the Ahwatukee Crime Prevention Task Force for helping support the establishment of the Police Department’s current Pecos substation. Before the Pecos substation was created, Police were housed in temporary trailers in Ahwatukee and had to drive criminals to the South Mountain Precinct at Fourth and Southern avenues. Due to the advocacy efforts of residents like Conant and Schaeffer, the Police Department now has 50 officers working in the substation, which has temporary holding cells.

The Parks Department similarly honored Virginia Morton for her unwavering support of the Pecos center. Morton worked for 14 years to get recreational services in the area and participated in Pecos’ public planning committees.

Today the $10.3 million, 38,600-square-foot center hosts a senior center, gymnasium, Parks and Recreation Department classes, the police substation and a Public Works center for paying city fees and bills. Pecos also earned an Arizona Parks and Recreation Association award in August for Outstanding Facility for 100,000+ Community.

The Pecos Community Center is located at 17010 S. 48th St. For more information on the center, call Stanton’s office at 602-262-7491 or visit phoenix.gov/parks.