Initiatives & Events

Economic Vitality Initiatives

City • Stairs • Murals • Pool

City

Stairs

Murals

According to the Cambridge Business English dictionary, the definition of Initiative is “a new plan or action to improve something or solve a problem”. As a 501(3)(c) charity, Bisbee Vogue, Inc. has had the fortune to work with our City, local schools and colleges, construction companies, artists and others who are dedicated to making Bisbee the best it can be.

Below are just a few on-going initiatives that help us serve our community by encouraging wellbeing, promoting lives of purpose, and advancing cultural recreation which represent the guiding principles of Bisbee Vogue, Inc.

City Initiatives

"Bisbee Outdoor Recreation Center"

BORC

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old,

we grow old because we stop playing.”

— George Bernard Shaw

1969 - 2020

City Pool

Artificial Grass

Basketball Court

Pickleball Courts

Pickleball

Fitness Center

Fitness Court

Fitness Center

In the past few years, Bisbee Vogue, Inc. has dedicated resources to creating a unique recreation hub on Higgins Hill Park in Bisbee. This is the site of the Bisbee outdoor pool built in 1969 and now includes a basketball court and two pickleball courts. BVI lobbied for and invested financially to build the outdoor fitness court in partnership with the City of Bisbee, KE&G Construction, Inc. and The National Fitness Campaign. This fitness court features seven fitness workout stations and was officially opened in May 2021.

Special appreciation goes to The Milt Coulter Blazing Saddles Trust and Pioneer Title Agency whose generous donations, along with dedicated partial proceeds from the loyal participants of Bisbee 1000, The Great Stairclimb, provided the funding via BVI to make this collaborative project a reality.

The addition of this court at the Higgins Hill Park location completes a user-friendly venue called the Bisbee Outdoor Recreation Center (BORC) for Bisbee residents and visitors to have free, safe, access to outdoor recreation. The center brings economic benefits as many Bisbee visitors seek a variety of outdoor activities taking advantage of our excellent climate.

GRAFFITI PARK

LAND RESTORATION

Beautification Project

This private property on Brewery Gulch, adjacent to City Park, was occupied and trashed annually. Bisbee Vogue, Inc. has adopted and cleaned this property manually for the absentee owners for thirty-plus years. However this year (2023), the property was so misused BVI hired a backhoe contractor to deeply cleanse the land and reshape the property to inhibit unauthorized occupation.

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The following weekend after clean-up the site hosted artists competing in Bisbee's annual Plein Air Competition. Musicians, artists, tourists often pose in front of the graffiti wall which is now accessible to all!

POOL MATCHING FUND

The Board of Bisbee Vogue, Inc., recognizing the importance of the City pool (est. 1969) created a matching fund up to $25,000 to assist the City opening the pool. This fund raised a total of $7,525 which BVI matched to bring the total to of $15,050. With the generous donation by James and Kay Burke of Bisbee, Arizona and many others, we are delighted to report the matching funds enable us to provide artificial grass for beautification, cleanliness, and safety

Here are some photos from the May 2024 Grand Opening Celebration:

Artificial Grass

City Pool

Artificial Grass

Update Pool 2024

The Board of Bisbee Vogue, Inc., recognizing the importance of the City pool (est. 1969) created a matching fund up to $25,000 to assist the City opening the pool. This fund raised a total of $7,525 which BVI matched to bring the total to of $15,050. With the generous donation by James and Kay Burke of Bisbee, Arizona and many others, we are delighted to report the matching funds enable us to provide artificial grass for beautification, cleanliness, and safety

Here are some photos from the May 2024 Grand Opening Celebration

Stairs Initiatives

Restoration and Maintenance of Our Stairways

Promotional project designed by Lizann Michaud and Cynthia Conroy - 2015

33,000+ Stairs Creates Bisbee's Unique Tapestry

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B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

Restoration Projects Abound Throughout

Unique to Bisbee is a system of old and deteriorating stairways that course through its picturesque hills, affording views of the town's quaint houses and colorful gardens. The stairways originally followed the mule paths worn into the terrain during the heyday of Bisbee's copper mining past. To put men back to work during the Great Depression, the Work Projects Administration (WPA) oversaw building of the stairs over those same pathways.

MATCHING FUNDS ALERT!

Stairs Initiatives

Inspired by a generous donation of $10,000 from Rick and Kathy Brown of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, the Board of Bisbee Vogue, Inc. voted to establish a matching contribution; therefore, creating a $20,000 fund earmarked to identify and map the 33,000+ stairs located throughout Historic Old Bisbee. Once identified and mapped some stairs will require repair to include concrete work, and just as importantly, installation or repair of handrails.

Hailing from Rio Rancho, NM, Rick Brown, AICP a Certified Planner, carries a passion for stairs unlike any other's. As he puts it:

"No one term encapsulates these stairways. Some places use the term “stairway,” while others use “stairs,” “steps,” or “stair-steps.” Regardless, they all refer to the same infrastructure feature. Despite the variety of terms, it is clear that whatever you call them, stairs, etc., they are a terrific placemaking feature for cities and towns of all shapes and sizes. At a minimum, public outdoor stairways provide the following 14 benefits:

Walkability/active transportation
Pedestrian friendly
Connectivity
Outdoor fitness
Social engagement
Economic growth
Tourist attractor
Equity-building
Exploration opportunities
Historic, environmental, and scenic opportunities
Improved community image and pride
Outdoor spaces for art displays
Reduced air pollution
Reduced car trips and carbon footprint
Placemaking

Any city that has a network of public stairways in its midst should actively pursue programs and funding mechanisms to assure its system is kept in the best possible condition. To do otherwise would be counter-productive to all the previously noted benefits generated by these networks.".

Read Rick's insightful blog here.

Muheim Stairs

Restoration

The City of Bisbee, owner of the majority of stairs of Bisbee, has agreed to accept up to $10,000, donated by Bisbee Vogue, Inc., for the restoration and repairs of the Muheim Stairs. Partial funding provided by Rick Brown, AICP of Rio Rancho, NM through a donation to Bisbee Vogue, Inc. Project was slated to begin January 2024; however, on 1/9/24 an inspection by Public Works and BVI revealed multiple legal and ownership issues regarding the historic set of stairs. Stay tuned for updates as the City Manager and City Attorney work to resolve these challenges currently prohibiting Bisbee Vogue, Inc. from dedicating funds to this project.

Bisbee Vogue is exploring other important stairways to apply its funds, in partnership with the City of Bisbee. No public funds can be used for the benefit of a private business or individual.

Murals Initiatives

"The Tattooed Walls of Bisbee"

Economic vitality is a cornerstone of our 501(c)(3) charity mission. Beginning in 2007, Bisbee Vogue, Inc. launched an initiative to add color and richness to our city through the commission of local artists to create wall and stair murals throughout Bisbee's commercial and residential districts. It was a way to generate additional excitement about our already vibrant town!

Identifying tourism as a crucial element of the economic well-being of Bisbee, we began an art-inspired campaign which spawned a mural-themed fascination that is still going strong to this day. A leisurely stroll through any of our districts will reveal just how popular this initiative has become.

Wall and stair adornments by local, national and international artists are a way of life that brings visitors from far and wide and has clearly helped establish Bisbee as a destination unlike any other.

Judy Perry, Bisbee's Village Painter/Muralist/Artist

Enjoy the Europeanesque charm of Historic Bisbee, Arizona. Nestled a mile high in the Mule Mountains of Southeast Arizona, this historic mining village boasts winding roadways, beckoning stairways, wide-ranging historic architectures, restaurants and shops, diverse cultural and fitness events, and a bustling, welcoming creative community.

YOU COULD FLY TO EUROPE, OR SIMPLY DRIVE TO BISBEE

15 Years of Adorning our Walls & Stairways