Archive for RAN Updates

1)   Arizona State Parks Board Meeting to be held June 15 & 16 Tonto Natural Bridge State Park For more information or to view the agenda visit: http://azstateparks.com/board/index.html 2)  The Riordan Days of Summer (a RAN fundraising event) Sunday June 20, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Riordan Mansion State Historic Park Volunteers and baked goods [...]

What Comes In Must Go Out
Riordan Mansion State Historic Park is now officially self-funded. Funds cannot be swept. Funds stay at the park.

Riordan Mansion State Historic Park is now officially self-supporting. Expenses that cannot be paid by admissions and events must be paid for with donations.

RIORDAN STATUS: It finally happened! The agreement between the Arizona Historical Society and Arizona State Parks was signed off by ASP at 3 PM on May 20th.

Hi everyone, This is such a short update that I’m writing it as an e-mail rather than as an attached Word document.  The attached document is info about the big musical benefit happening in the ballroom at the Riordan Mansion on May 21st.  Since there will only be 100 tickets sold, and they are being [...]

Special RAN Fund Raiser–”Popular Music of the Riordan Years”.  Mark your calendar for Friday, May 21 at 7:00 PM.  On that evening, the Ballroom in the mansion will come alive with popular music of the Riordan years.  Music historian (and Riordan volunteer), Erik Larson, will play music from original recordings and share little-known facts about [...]

RIORDAN STATUS: The agreement between the Arizona Historical Society and Arizona State Parks is still in the AZ Attorney General’s Office where it must be reviewed before it can be in effect. District 2 State Representative Tom Chabin has made inquiries of the AG’s Office on the Park’s behalf. The Park continues its present schedule (Thursday – Monday with tours on the hour). Volunteers: Please continue to stay informed and in touch. The Park and staff will need you more than ever.

RIORDAN STATUS: The Arizona Historical Society (AHS) Board met on March 26th in Yuma. Karen Washabau represented RAN at the meeting and gave a short synopsis of RAN’s history and future plans for supporting the Riordan Mansion State Historic Park (RMSHP). Renee Bahl, Director of AZ State Parks also spoke. The AHS board gave Ann Woosley, Director of AHS the authority to sign the agreement which would turn over the operation of the park to AHS for three years with options for two more three-year agreements. The agreement has to be reviewed by the AZ Attorney General’s Office. The Park will continue its present schedule (Thursday – Monday with tours on the hour) without interruption. Volunteers: Please continue to stay informed and in touch. The Park and staff will need you more than ever.

As you probably have been reading in the papers and hearing on the news, the financial situation for ASP worsens. However, several of the parks slated for closure have worked out partnerships to keep them open or are still in negotiations. That doesn’t mean that the state parks system is healthy or will survive. We (all of you) need to continue our efforts to try to convince legislators and the governor to act NOW to keep the state parks system alive and parks open. (See Marilyn’s personal legislative plea below.)

At the State Parks Volunteer Venture event in Camp Verde yesterday, Director Renee Bahl announced that AZ State Parks (ASP) administration will be recommending to the ASP Board on March 17th that the Riordan Mansion stay open for the next year under lease from the Arizona Historical Society (AHS) with the assistance of RAN and the volunteers in partnership with No. AZ Pioneer Historical Society (NAPHS). The lease is still being worked on and will have to be approved by the ASP Board on March 17th and the AHS Board on March 22nd. It is not a done deal but is far enough along that Director Bahl feels comfortable including the recommendation in the packet going to the ASP Board this week.

At the State Parks Board meeting on Feb. 117, 2010, the state parks administration recommended to the board that the Riordan Mansion’s closure date be delayed until March 29, 2010.