Cortez Park — Attraction in Phoenix

I love to come here to take photos of all the animals, however, the animals are not in good condition. Please remember that no birds can have bread it fills their tummies up and makes them full causing them to be cold and to freeze so they dont understand that they arent full and they actually need more food. Its bad for them and they can die from it. They can eat lettuce, walnuts, grapes, granola, etc please lookup what they can eat before you feed them DO NOT give them bread!!! It appeared the last time I came here that two of the birds had bad case of avian Pox and had started a case with some of the other pigeons. Another two birds had hurt feet were walking weird and could barely get around. I was feeding them all, but was feeding the hurt birds the most since it seemed that they were struggling to get food. The geese seem to be very dehydrated and we’re panting From the heat. There was a ton of homeless people when I went. I gave them some water and food. I always try to carry some stuff when I Come. I always bring food for the animals. The water heater is always in bad condition, there’s trash all over both on the sidewalk, in the water and filling the trash cans. The water is super green and disgusting. The sidewalk has tons of poop and sometimes there’s a little bit of blood. You would think they would power wash it. The bathrooms are so disgusting and they Reek of piss. There was also a morning dove that was dead in the road that appeared to have been hit by somebody that guy was sitting there for a while in his truck probably about 10 minutes. And he didn’t seem to care he was just...

Cortez Park – Looks Great in Photos, But Safety Is a Concern

Cortez Park has the potential to be a wonderful spot for families, with beautiful photos and a layout that suggests it should be a clean, relaxing space. Unfortunately, our experience didn’t match what we expected.

When we arrived during regular park hours, we noticed a large number of individuals lying throughout the open field, many appearing to be experiencing homelessness. There were also people walking around who seemed visibly under the influence, and the atmosphere felt more unsettling than welcoming — especially for families with young children.

What’s most concerning is that there didn’t appear to be any visible security presence or patrol, and none of the public restrooms were open despite it being daytime. It gave the impression that the park is not being actively maintained or monitored, which is disappointing considering how nice the space could be.

We understand that homelessness is a broader issue and not the fault of any one park, but the lack of city response or safety measures here makes this location feel unsafe. It’s not a place I would feel comfortable bringing my kids back to until these concerns...

I would just like to say this is a wonderful park. And as i did observe some homeless folks. Hey did I mention they were homeless, for all you folk who judge, that means they are without homes. They have no where to go. And if you think our community or our elected officials, or our churches, or housing authorities are going to place everyone in a safe and comfortable place, you are mistaken. They are not. Most of those ppl look down on the homeless and think they all are dirty, druggies and alcoholics! I myself was a law abiding citizen . I work hard to get where I was. Respected by the community and the company I worked for. Then my marriage broke, Covid hit, and I was out of a job then an apartment, I turned to Paz de Cristo for help. They told me they had nothing to offer me...nothing. Me a 60 yr. Old woman out on the street for the first time. I'm almost certain those ppl with all there belongings in there only available transport had to feel...well how DO YOU think they feel..you looking down on them, not even knowing them or the circumstances that put them there. I know there are homeless out there that are doing wrong, but there are also ppl like you who are...