Featured photo: A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Friday, October 17, to celebrate Mohave Valley Fort Mohave Community Park’s ADA playground, field improvements, and honored the many contributors who made improvements possible. Attendees include Mohave County Supervisors Ron Gould and Rich Lettman, Judge Steve Moss, members of the local and Phoenix Legacy Foundation Boards, Mohave Electric Cooperative leadership, TWN Communications COO, representatives from The Home Depot, Southwest Gas, the Mohave Sunrise Rotary Club, Mohave Valley Fire Department, and Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, among others
FT. MOHAVE – When volunteer project manager Mehdi Azarmi was asked in 2012 to help revive the long-dormant idea of a community park in Mohave Valley, he didn’t hesitate—though he knew it wouldn’t be easy.
“The Mohave Valley Park idea had been around for over 30 years,” Azarmi recalls. “There were two or three attempts before, but they failed because of financial challenges. I told Supervisor Sockwell I’d help—if I could choose my own team.”
That choice marked the beginning of what would become one of the most ambitious and inspiring community-driven projects in Mohave County history.
A Vision Decades in the Making
Azarmi quickly teamed up with longtime friend and local businessman Chip Sherrill, whose family has farmed in the valley for more than 50 years. Together in 2015, they co-founded the Mohave Valley Fort Mohave Community Park project, bringing together neighbors, businesses, and civic leaders to finally make the long-awaited dream a reality.
The park sits on a 39-acre parcel owned by the Sherrill family—land leased to Mohave County for 50 years at just $1 per year. Using equipment and labor donated by contractors from Azarmi’s development firm, the team performed the initial rough grading.
The project soon drew attention across the region. An anonymous donor pledged $250,000—but only if the team could match it twice over. The Legacy Foundation quickly stepped forward with a $250,000 grant, and at the time, Steve Moss, newly elected to Mohave County Board of Supervisors, was instrumental in securing another $250,000 in support to procure the initial pledge.
“District 5 had no community park, even though it’s one of the second largest property tax bases in the County,” Azarmi explains. “We knew this would benefit thousands of families.”
Lighting the Fields and Lifting the Spirit
By 2018, the park’s first softball and soccer fields were complete—but the desert heat made daytime use difficult. Lighting was critical, yet cost estimates came in at $2.2 million. Undeterred, Azarmi reached out to Mohave Electric Cooperative, who not only agreed to help but did so entirely through volunteer labor.
On a Saturday morning, 47 Mohave Electric employees arrived—on their own time—to install 17 steel light poles in just four hours. Among the volunteers were community members from every walk of life: electricians from H.T.W.T. Electric, then-County Supervisor Steve Moss, former hospital CEO Alex Villa, doctors, and residents from across Mohave Valley and Fort Mohave. The lighting equipment, provided through Wisconsin Lighting and supported by a $95,000 grant from Legacy Foundation, gave new life to the park.
A Playground Built by Hundreds
No community park is complete without a place for children to play. Initially in 2019, the Legacy Foundation contributed $75,000 along with the $75,000 donation from Fiesta Bowl Charities, and $30,000 from the national nonprofit Kaboom, for Azarmi to build the park’s playground. Kaboom requested 80 volunteers—over 300 people showed up from all corners of the valley to help.
Over the years the need for accessible play spaces was requested, which led to the recent upgrades of the playground to include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) features. First, Mohave County Supervisor Ron Gould kicked off the improvements by providing a $25,000 donation to fund the resurfacing of a concrete area of the park to an ADA-compliant turf for the playground. Numerous volunteers from Redmond Construction, Fairway Village Estates, and local businesses worked alongside residents to install equipment and pour more than 1,200 square feet of concrete and place 900 square feet of ADA-compliant wood-chip surfacing.
To enhance the area, The Home Depot Foundation awarded a $17,700 materials grant and sent a team of dozen volunteers. They were joined by 18 employees from Southwest Gas, as well as members of the Mohave Sunrise Rotary Club, who together planted over 40 trees, installed six benches, spread decorative gravel, and added 600 square feet of artificial grass.
“It was one of the biggest community workdays we’ve ever had,” Azarmi says. “We had everyone from families to business owners out there working side by side.”
Sustaining the Park: Community in Action
The Mohave Valley Fort Mohave Community Park now serves as a central hub for the entire region. Students from Little League Baseball, the Desert Warrior Football Team, and River Valley High School and Harvest Bible Church School, as well as visitors from Golden Shores, Topock, Needles, Bullhead City, and Golden Valley are all welcome to use the park as needed.
The park’s four-acre dog park—the largest in Arizona—is divided for large and small breeds and funded by a generous but anonymous local doctor.
Maintenance is overseen by full-time caretaker Juan Sanchez, also a member of the Mohave Sunrise Rotary Club, which formally adopted the park and has been instrumental in its upkeep for years. Mohave County provides an annual maintenance grant—recently increased to $75,000 per year—ensuring the park’s beauty and safety are preserved.
Community service groups such as the Mohave Sunrise Rotary Club members, River Valley High School Basketball Team, Desert Star Academy, and volunteers from Southwest Gas regularly organize cleanup days.
“It’s amazing how many hands have touched this park,” Azarmi reflects. “From students to retirees, everyone has a role.”
Other Recent Improvements
When newer, brighter LED fixtures became available, Mohave County Supervisor Ron Gould of District 5 secured $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to upgrade lighting in all four baseball and softball fields.
Together, TWN Communications, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Mohave Electric Cooperative CEO Tyler Carlson and MEC employees donated nearly $50,000 for new poles for the fields and playground, and to remove the old lights and install the new lighting systems. TWN donated $16,897, Arizona Electric Power Cooperative donated $12,000, and Tyler Carlson donated $3,000 for new poles for the ball fields and playground. MEC crew members donated their time and equipment by volunteering to install the new poles and hang the lighting for a value of $16,000, and MEC-subcontractor Outsource Utility Contractor, led by Neil Garney, donated $5,000 in labor to install poles and hang the new scoreboard.
“We joke that players need sunglasses now,” Azarmi says with a smile. “The new lighting is that bright.”
Adding to the enhancements, Tri-State Wi-Fi by Wi-Fiber installed new equipment at the park, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy free public Wi-Fi internet while simultaneously enjoying the many other park features.
Water, Wells, and What’s Next
To sustain its grass fields, the park originally used water from River Valley High School. But thanks to a $90,000 grant from Legacy Foundation and Sherrill’s expertise in well systems, a new well and pump were installed, ensuring long-term irrigation independence—and even backup water for the nearby school.
The park team isn’t slowing down. Seven new projects are planned, and Mohave County, through Supervisor Ron Gould’s assistance, waived permit-fees for the future improvements for a total of $40,000 in savings.
Improvements include:
* A two-story concession and referee building with snack bar and press windows overlooking the four ballfields. A future $250,000 grant from Legacy Foundation is planned to assist with this enhancement.
* A 40?50-foot community Ramada, funded by a future $40,000 donation from Los Matadors de Bullhead City.
* New parking-lot lighting, a frequent community request.
* Lighting extensions for the east fields and playground areas.
“Every improvement is driven by feedback from the people who use it,” Azarmi says. “It’s truly a park built by the community, for the community.”
Celebrating a Shared Legacy
A ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Friday, October 17, celebrated the park’s ADA playground, field improvements, and honored the many contributors who made these possible. Attendees include Mohave County Supervisors Ron Gould and Rich Lettman, Judge Steve Moss, members of the local and Phoenix Legacy Foundation Boards, Mohave Electric Cooperative leadership, TWN Communications COO, representatives from The Home Depot, Southwest Gas, the Mohave Sunrise Rotary Club, Mohave Valley Fire Department, and Mohave County Sheriff’s Office, among others.
A Community’s Heartbeat
From its humble beginnings to its growing network of ballfields, playgrounds, and gathering spaces, the Mohave Valley Fort Mohave Community Park stands as a testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with shared purpose.
Every dollar raised, every pole lifted, every tree planted reflects a collective belief—that the people of Mohave Valley deserve a place to play, connect, and belong.
“This park represents what we can do when we work together,” Azarmi says. “It’s not just about the park—it’s about the people.”
