Frontier Family Park, featuring Queen Creek’s first public pickleball courts, a fishing lake, an inclusive playground and more is now open.
The town’s newest park opened Saturday at 20039 S. 220th St. with a ribbon cutting and community celebration.
“Frontier Family Park is the largest park in Queen Creek at 85-acres and aligns with our strategic priorities of quality lifestyle and superior infrastructure,” Queen Creek Mayor Julia Wheatley stated in a press release. “Not only do our parks provide an opportunity to get outside and be active, but they are also a great place to get to know your neighbors and continue the small-town community feel we know and love about Queen Creek.”
Designed by J2 Engineering & Environmental Design of Phoenix, Frontier Family Park includes a large playground where individuals of all abilities can play together and have a different experience each time they visit.
“Everybody of every ability, there is something for on this playground,” stated Jill Moore, inclusion specialist for the Minnesota-based firm Landscape Structures, in the release. “When you go and enjoy (the playground), I think that is something really special to celebrate. That Queen Creek has invited everybody to be a part of the play experience and be part of why this park is so special.”
Gilbert-based Hunter Contracting built the park, which includes 24 pickleball courts, three multipurpose fields, six baseball/softball fields, two sand volleyball courts and two basketball courts.
The park also includes the town’s second fishing lake, which also serves as a water conservation strategy. The park is irrigated with water from the lake, which is filled with recovered water from the ground.
Nods to Queen Creek’s heritage can be found throughout the park. There is a memorial bench in honor of late Queen Creek Mayor Gail Barney and a statue of his parents, Newell and Katherine Barney, known for being pillars of the community. Gail Barney served the Queen Creek community for 24 years, including 12 as mayor. He died in June 2022 at the age of 74.
“I love that this park was designed to embrace our past while celebrating the present and providing a place for our community to come together – and play together – for generations to come,” Wheatley stated.
Access to the park is off Signal Butte Road north of Queen Creek Road, and 220th Street from Queen Creek Road.
The town broke ground on the park in August 2022, and construction of the aquatic and recreation center at the site started in May 2023. The center is expected to be open next year.
When completed, the center will include an indoor recreation center with various sport courts such as basketball, volleyball and pickleball. It will also have a fitness area, teen room, childcare and classrooms. The outdoor aquatic center will include a zero-depth entry play pool, competition/lap pool, lazy river and slides. There will be shared space for locker rooms.
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