The airport is operated by multiple cities such as Gilbert, Mesa and Queen Creek, PMGA is a growing investment to Arizona’s economy by providing local jobs, including the development of international aerospace center. PMGA hosts 40 aviation companies fitting itself into a global marketplace.

Exit the airport property and you will find the ‘the largest town in America’. With more than 213,000 residents, the Town of Gilbert is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. PMGA conveniently satisfies its business and leisure travelers to explore Gilbert’s beautiful, friendly, educated and incredibly organized facilities. With such access, Gilbert is becoming a hotspot for tourists, inviting them in with its charming big city feel with small-town appeal and world-class amenities. For more information, visit phxmesagateway.org

Bird Walks

Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory

Little Nature Explorers

Skywatch – Enjoy a presentation of current astronomical events every 2nd Friday of the month. 

So put on your walking shoes, grab so water and have a great time with your family exercising and learning about the amazing birds living in Gilbert. Find out more

You are not going to want to miss this FREE event! We will be lighting our 3 large pine trees, outlining the lake with blue lights, and decorating with holiday décor that will transform the campus into a beautiful holiday scene fit for family picture taking.  We will have holiday entertainment featuring the Mwamba Children’s Choir coming to us all the way from Uganda Africa. Other entertainment will include community acts from dance studios, martial arts gyms and High school choirs. The event will also have Reindeer (pony) rides, carriage rides, vendors and sponsor booths.  Hot chocolate and other sweet treats will be available for purchase and Santa will be there in his sleigh visiting with all the children so don’t forget to bring your camera.
    
The holiday excitement doesn’t stop at the end of the evening because the lighted holiday scene will remain lit through January 3, 2012. Visitors are welcome to view the lighted scenery between 5 and 10pm each evening.  
Gilbert’s Holiday Nights of Lights is proudly presented by Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, sponsored by IKEA, JEL and SRP and produced by the Gilbert Community Services Department. If you would like more information about this event, please call (480) 503-6200 or visit http://www.gilbertaz.gov/parks/events-info.cfm.

Contact Information:

Mike Leppert, Senior Recreation Coordinator
Town of Gilbert Community Services Department, Special Events and Marketing             
90 E Civic Center Drive
Gilbert, AZ 85296
Office: (480) 503-6235
Fax: (480) 503-6204
Email: mike.leppert@gilbertaz.gov

Gilbert Days Festival Parking

As always, parking for Gilbert Days downtown festivities is at a premium.  The easiest, hassle free convenient option is the Free Shuttle Service.  You can park in the designated spots at Gilbert Town Square, (Gilbert Road south of Warner) hop on a fee shuttle bus, and be taken to your favorite viewing spot along the parade route.  The shuttle hours are 6:30AM – 5:00PM.

Other areas for parking are in the Boys and Girls Club, the public parking areas in downtown Gilbert including the lot off of Elm St., designated areas in the Park and Ride Lot, and limited, premium paid parking at Vaughn St. and Ash St.  Parking at the outer shopping centers at Guadalupe Rd and Gilbert Rd may be limited by the merchants.

During the Parade, there will be NO PARKING at the Gilbert Public Schools lot at Gilbert and Elliot roads, Big Lots or Fresh and Easy Parking lots as those spaces are for the staging and de-staging of the parade.

Again, the shuttle service is the easiest, most convenient & economical, hassle free  way to park during the festivities. For more information and to visit the sponsors go visit Gilbert Days Website

 11:30 am -2:00 pm

Train arrives at 12:45 pm

 Gilbert’s Heritage District

 Live Performance by: Territorial Brass

Enjoy fun games and activities for the whole family

 Take pictures with the train

 Stop by the Gilbert Farmer’s market

 Enjoy an afternoon of Gilbert history in celebration of Arizona’s centennial!

 www.gilbertaz.gov/az100years/

Forbes Magazine has recognized Gilbert as one of the Top 10 Suburbs in the Nation for Retirees, a title that supports the Town’s goal to provide the highest quality services for the best value for every demographic.

“This is another important designation that highlights our ongoing efforts to serve every member of our community,” said Mayor John Lewis.  “While our average age may be in the early 30s, our community focuses on maintaining a quality of life that benefits all ages.”

The magazine scrutinized a variety of factors including our low cost of living and low taxes, matched with our prime location and amenities.  Also key was the availability of hospitals and higher education for those who want to continue to learn.  A low crime rate also helped.  Gilbert continues to stand out as among the largest communities to make these lists featuring our Town as a best place to live – a quality that speaks to our “small town feel” with big city conveniences.

“Gilbert has always been known as a great place to raise your family and through a lot of thoughtful planning our community has also earned the reputation as a progressive community to do business,” said Kathy Tilque, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, an organization designated as a Gilbert tourism office. “While we are still a very young community it is exciting that we are now also ranked as a great place to retire.  This doesn’t happen by chance, it takes courage and dedication of community and business leaders to develop and maintain the quality standards our community enjoys that afford our residents the opportunity to raise a family, attend great schools, grow a business, and now plan for their retirement years.”

Read this excerpt from the Forbes article:

“It’s a perpetual question for the older set: Where to retire? A lot of people simply stay put where they’ve been for decades. Others move far away—-even abroad–for adventure or to save money. Another retirement option is a change to an inner-city neighborhood.

But there’s a middle ground that might be appealing to those who have spent comfortable decades in the suburbs, those largely residential towns full of larger homes with back yards within reasonable commuting distance of the big city they generally ring and draw energy from. Consider relocating to another suburb, maybe in another part of the country.

Gilbert, Arizona

Three hospitals dot this Phoenix suburb of 215,000, the third biggest town on our list. Average home price is about $250,000, and the cost of living is 6% below the national average. Downside: Mass transit to the big city 22 miles west is extremely limited. Visit www.gilbertaz.gov

Moments pass by all the time, sometimes we disregard them as we take a break from those other moments of intense hard work.

Some moments, though, stand out in history – and are important to take note of. Such moments include the instant that the first plane struck the World Trade Towers, and the moment the second one did – instantly stealing the lives of innocent people, and ripping a hole through our nation that we filled with heroism as we came together to heal.

Those moments include the moment a third plane crashed into the Pentagon, and the instant that heroes aboard Flight 93 high above Pennsylvania determined to change history and save untold lives.

As we approach the 10th anniversary of those attacks that stole 3,000 good people from us, and brought us together, we ask you to plan your morning by scheduling these moments of silence with us, marking those instances that continue to resound in our national conscience.

Join us on Facebook and Twitter as we remind people of each #911MomentofSilence – help us retweet those moments so that we collectively can hear the silence as we remember those lost, and pay the tribute deserved by the heroes that rushed into the buildings, risking their lives to change ours.

I ask you to take out your smart phones and calendars and mark these moments down. No matter what you are doing, join us in these moments of silence and reflection. This tribute will only make us stronger and continue to bring us together as a nation proud of our diversity and character.

Please join us in a seven to 10 second moment of silence during each of these moments on Sept. 11, 2011:

· 8:46 a.m. EDT (5:46 a.m. Arizona time) – the first plane strikes the World Trade Center.

· 9:03 a.m. EDT (6:03 a.m. Arizona time) – the second plane strikes the World Trade Center.

· 9:43 a.m. EDT (6:43 a.m. Arizona time) – plane crashes into the Pentagon.

· 9:59 a.m. EDT (6:59 a.m. Arizona time) – South Tower collapses.

· 10:10 a.m. EDT ( 7:10 a.m. Arizona time) – Flight 93 crashes in Shanksville, Penn.

· 10:28 a.m. EDT (7:28 a.m. Arizona time) – North Tower collapses.

- Collin DeWitt, Town Manager

Did you know? The Gilbert Riparian preserves are over 300 acres of unique open space in the Valley of the Sun.  Established in 1999 and open every day from dawn until dusk, the preserves are a series of groundwater recharge ponds that have been designed to allow visitors the opportunity to experience wildlife and the natural water cycle in an urban setting. Wildlife viewing is a major draw of the preserves.  There are more than 200 species of birds and many other native species that frequent this unique environment.  A five-acre fishing lake is stocked with various kinds of fish throughout the year. Anglers are welcome with an urban fishing license.  Recreational opportunities at the preserves also include over 4.5 miles of trails, interpretive gardens, camping, and picnic ramadas.  In addition, the preserves are home to the one astronomy observatory in the valley dedicated to public use.  Over one million visitors have frequented the preserves and participated in interpretive programs since 2000.  The preserves are a demonstration of sustainable community planning where future water supplies and unique recreation opportunities are maintained for public use.

Submitted by Scott Anderson