GILBERT, Ariz. — Let’s talk turf. Which immediately turns into water conservation when you live in a thirsty desert.
The Town of Gilbert is trying to do something: Converting some areas of grass in several parks and public spaces to xeriscape.
But don’t worry, parks manager Kylie Sorensen said residents and their pets will still have plenty of grassy areas to enjoy.
“We want to identify non-active turf areas, so those are the turf areas you really can’t do a lot of playing on,” Sorensen said. “Maybe they are near streets, maybe they are really hard to keep green.”
The Town of Gilbert has identified five parks where portions of turf will be torn out. They include:
- Cosmo Park
- Crossroads Park
- Cactus Yards
- Freestone Park
- Circle G Park
“Probably the biggest change people will see is that Cosmo dog park area just because there is a very large steep hill that was made turf,” Sorensen said. “People can’t really utilize it for recreation purposes.”
Grass is the main reason Sue Currier brings her dog Bailey to Cosmo Park. The pavement can be too hot for his paws.
“It’s great when it’s like this because he can go in the water and play, and he can run around on the grass, it’s just so much fun for him,” Currier said.
She was surprised to learn the Town was planning to remove any amount of grass.
“I know we need to conserve water, but gee, this is a whole desert that has managed water for a long, long time,” Currier said.
“All the fenced in areas for dogs, that will stay real grass,” Sorensen said.
At Cactus Yards, a small section of grass near the main entrance is also on the chopping block.
“All the other locations are smaller pieces here and there that the community won’t really notice,” Sorensen said. “They might notice some really beautiful landscaping, but they won’t necessarily notice the impact of the turf being removed.”
The Town of Gilbert has activated the first stage of its Water Supply Reduction Management Program due to the “worsening conditions of on the Colorado River cause by historic drought, climate change, and over allocation,” according to a request for proposal posted online. The Town is looking for architecture and engineering firms to design the new xeriscape spaces.
“We want to be an example for the community to show that you can remove some turf and save some water but still have amazing xeriscape,” Sorensen said.
The goal is to have all turf removal projects completed by June 2026. Work could begin later this year.
The Town of Gilbert currently offers a limited supply water rebates for customers who convert grass landscapes. Residents who qualify can receive up to $800 and reduce their home’s outdoor water use by 50 percent or more.
To be eligible, a Gilbert water customer must have an active water account in good standing and receive pre-approval from town staff before beginning a grass removal project.
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