2024
January
The Scottsdale Bobcats soccer team earned gold in their inaugural debut. The Parks and Recreation team - coached by Scottsdale police aide and former Olympian, Alex Sachs – competed at the Special Olympics State Tournament in Chandler, beating out Paradise Valley for the gold medal in their division. The team has trained throughout the fall on their home turf at Chaparral Park with the help of Adaptive Recreation’s staff and volunteers.
Scottsdale’s Civic Center Library was voted “Best Library of 2023” by Phoenix New Times. The branch was recognized for its programming for all ages, charming youth room, rotating public art and more.
February
City continues to be the gold standard for bicyclists. Scottsdale has once again been recognized as a Gold-Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. This year’s award will extend the city’s elite status another four years. Scottsdale is one of only 34 Gold-Level communities across the country; ranking among the top 10 percent of cities recognized by the league. The award recognizes Scottsdale for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging healthier and more sustainable transportation choices.
Scottsdale was initially recognized as a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community in 2005, which is noteworthy since Scottsdale was the first silver-level community without a university or major college. Scottsdale has been recognized as a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community since 2011. The city has an extensive network of bicycle amenities, including 123 miles of paved shared-use paths, 156 miles of unpaved trails, and 192 miles of on-street bike lanes.
Gov. Katie Hobbs appointed Scottsdale’s diversity director to serve on the Commission of African American Affairs. Jackie Johnson is a second-generation Arizonan who wants to ensure the Black community has an opportunity to prosper by addressing poverty, housing, discrimination, education and criminal justice. The commission consists of 16 members, nine of whom are appointed by the Governor. Learn more about the commission and its members.
March
Scottsdale employee recognized for blood drive efforts. Scottsdale Project Management Assistant Mya Trivison has made it her mission to make sure Valley blood upplies remain in good standing. Why? Because she knows the impact it can have on the lives of people in need.
In 2018, Mya’s father was a blood donation recipient during his struggle with cancer, and her mother, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy, has received several pints and platelet donations to combat the side effects of the treatment. To help ensure that other families have access to this much-needed resource, Mya coordinated nine blood drives at city facilities in 2023, which collected 239 donations.
In recognition of her efforts, Vitalant, one of the nation's largest nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organizations, recently named Mya Trivison a 2023 Impact Award winner.
Scottsdale captures top environmental award for its Civic Center renovation. Arizona Forward honored the city and the Scottsdale Civic Center with a Crescordia award in “Civic Buildings, Structures, and Landscape Design.” The coveted Crescordia — a Greek term meaning "growing in harmony" — is the highest honor given in each category of its Environmental Excellence Awards program.
In 2023, Scottsdale unveiled a comprehensive renovation of the area that has served as the city’s civic and signature special event and gathering space for 55 years. The renewed and refreshed Civic Center provides locals and visitors alike with a better experience than ever, a beautiful place to gather for art, culture, entertainment and festivals and family relaxation. The project was designed and built with sustainability in mind by adding planted bioswales to collect and capture stormwater, permeable pavements with underground water conveyance, targeted roof water collection at the East Bowl to supply existing trees with an extra boost of water, and new low water use plants.
In addition to the Crescordia, Scottsdale Water received an Award of Distinction for water conservation communications. The department initiated an expansion of its water conservation efforts through wider funding, communication efforts, ordinance changes, new building code adoptions and incentives, and educational programs. View the AZ Forward award submission
April
Scottsdale commemorated its 42nd year as a Tree City USA community with a tree and cactus planting ceremony at Earth Fest. Having been recognized as a national Tree City USA community since 1982, Scottsdale holds the record for the longest designation in Arizona. This honor highlights the city’s commitment to growing Scottsdale’s urban canopy, which is reflected in significant achievements such as the 100 trees added during the Civic Center renovation. Certified city arborists and park maintenance professionals manage more than 21,000 trees, and on average we add or replace about 300 trees per year.
May
Scottsdale Water Recognized for Excellence and Dedication. The annual AZ Water Association Awards recognize the most innovative and resourceful water professionals in the state as they provide superior service to their communities. Scottsdale Water received these awards:
- Water Distribution System of the Year - Large System: Water Distribution received the award thanks to the dedication and engagement of the water distribution team. With a complex distribution system including 18 pressures zones, 11,000 fire hydrants, 48,000 valves and more than 2,100 miles of piping, team members are the unsung heroes that overcome many challenges while keeping themselves safe, exceeding industry metrics and contributing to the public outreach program.
- Small Treatment Plant Supervisor of the Year – Scott Piros at Gainey Ranch Treatment Facility: Scott received the award for improving preventive maintenance processes, fostering operator engagement, and his proactive and innovative approaches to persistent treatment issues.
- Safety Awards: Thirteen facilities and departments were recognized for safe operations with less than the maximum number of lost days.
- Recognized in the Hydrant Hysteria competition: “As the water landscape rapidly
- changes and our drought continues, it is paramount for us to implement solutions that effectively address our customer needs with the highest quality of standards and innovative technologies,” said Brian Biesemeyer, executive director for Scottsdale Water. "Our teams work hard and take pride in making a difference for our residents and customers."
June
Scottsdale earns its 51st consecutive Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This highest form of recognition in government accounting and financial reporting is awarded by The Government Finance Officers’ Association, an independent panel of peer reviewers from across the United States and Canada. Scottsdale’s 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report met or exceeded standards that demonstrate the “spirit of transparency and full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story.
Scottsdale Airport earned a Federal Aviation Administration Western-Pacific Region Outstanding Airport Award. The award recognizes airports that excel in various aspects of airport management and development. Scottsdale was lauded for its dedication to operational excellence and innovation, safety and community engagement in completing substantial improvement and construction projects.
Approximately 171,675 take offs and landings occurred at Scottsdale Airport in 2023, making it one of the busiest single-runway general aviation airports in the state.