North Pima News

 The Town of Oro Valley is excited to announce that the top 10 names have been selected, and online voting is now open for Round Two of Name OV’s New 202-Acre Outdoor Space! – the contest to name the soon-to-be acquired 202-acre outdoor property formerly known as the Vistoso Golf Course. Voters may select up to three of the 10 names (voting link and names below). One vote per person. Voting is restricted to Oro Valley residents only. For residency verification, a name and street address will be required when casting a vote. Voting will end at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 8, 2022.

In Round One of the contest, members of the public were invited to submit name ideas. More than 1,500 unique names were submitted, and a five-member committee reviewed all submissions and narrowed down the list to the top 10. The committee included one representative from each of the following groups: Oro Valley Town Council, Oro Valley Town Staff, Youth Advisory Council, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Preserve Vistoso.

Once Round Two voting has ended, the three names with the highest number of votes will be put forth to Oro Valley Town Council for final selection at the May 18, 2022 Council Meeting. To eliminate bias, the names of the individuals who submitted entries will not be made public until Round Two voting has ended. The winner of Name OV’s New 202-Acre Outdoor Space! will receive a prize package, totaling more than $1,700.

To learn more about the contest process, rules and prize package, click here to read the contest announcement press release.

THE TOP 10 NAMES

Catalina View Preserve

Golden Sunset Preserve

Mountain Vista Desert Preserve

Oro Valley Desert Preserve

Oro Valley Nature Preserve

Sleeping Snake Heritage Preserve

Tortolita Shadows Preserve

Vista del Oro Preserve

Vistoso Preserve at Oro Valley

Vistoso Trails Nature Preserve

VOTE NOW!

Click here to cast your vote, or copy/paste this link into your web browser: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/a8564bc3a2294d0f975d48827bfa1167

Voters can select up to three of the 10 names. Voting is restricted to Oro Valley residents and will conclude at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, May 8, 2022.

If you need assistance with voting, please call 520-229-4711 or email Ask@orovalleyaz.gov.

BACKGROUND ON THE PROPERTY

The Town of Oro Valley has been actively engaged in finding a workable solution for the future of the former Vistoso Course since June 2020, when the Town Council voted to direct the Town Manager to work with The Conservation Fund (TCF) and Romspen Vistoso LLC (Romspen) on the potential preservation of the property. After TCF and Romspen were initially unable to come to terms, the Council voted in November 2020 to direct the Town Manager and Town Attorney to initiate communications with Romspen and any other third parties to negotiate the sale of the portion zoned open space for fair market value on or before April 1, 2021. After lengthy negotiations with Romspen, the revival of TCF’s participation, securing a developer for the 6.3-acre former clubhouse parcel and generous contributions by area residents to TCF for the purchase, the Town of Oro Valley released the Settlement Agreement that served as the foundation for the purchase in a February 17, 2022, press release. What ultimately resulted was 202 acres of land that will be open to the public and preserved in perpetuity for passive recreational activities such as walking, biking and birding. 

Original source can be found here.