Community fetes Charles Flynn
Longtime director of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area is praised for ‘connecting’ Yuma to the river
Community members and leaders feted Charles Flynn on Wednesday for almost two decades of service as executive director of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. Flynn is retiring, and he and wife Ann Walker are moving to Philadelphia to be closer to their first grandchild.
The Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, which boasts two state historic parks, a national historic landmark, two riverfront parks connected by a multi-use path, 350 acres of restored wetlands and an interpretive plaza, is managed by a private/public nonprofit organization, with Flynn at the helm.
At the center of the heritage area is the Colorado River; Flynn has led efforts to restore and develop the riverfront.
“The reason I came,” Flynn said, “I sensed a hunger to reconnect to the river. People wanted to see it as a park.”
Today Yumans are proud of the East and West Wetlands and the parks, trails, beaches and ramadas that are part of the riverfront. Community mem-
bers, colleagues and leaders had a chance to express their appreciation as they bid goodbye to Flynn during the Visit Yuma annual membership meeting held at the Arizona Western College Schoening Conference Center.
Visit Yuma Executive Director Linda Morgan described Flynn as a mentor. They shared a building at the Old City Hall, and she would climb the stairs to Flynn’s office to ask for advice. “He’s never led me astray,” she said. “He’s done amazing things for Yuma.”
Mayor Doug Nicholls pointed out that what Flynn accomplished was not easy. To be able to build a riverfront hotel conference center and federal courthouse, the U.S. Border Patrol, Arizona Game and Fish and Arizona National Guard had to move from their downtown locations. Flynn assembled titles for lease and sales, master planned the projects and oversaw private investments and federal grants, under a “very meager budget.”
“Charlie managed it through the whole process,” Nicholls said, adding that the majority of the work went “largely unseen by most of us.”
“Strong leadership”
Flynn did it due to “his strong leadership, willingness to make the hard decisions and think completely out of the box,” the mayor added.
Nicholls presented a plaque and keys to the city so Flynn will always be able to come home.
Several people praised Flynn in a video produced by the city. Fred Phillips, a partner in the riverfront restoration efforts, said Flynn had a “big mess on his hands” when he first arrived, but he found the “right people to do the right jobs” and gave them free reign to do their work.
“First time I visited Yuma to look at the East Wetlands, the Ocean-toOcean Bridge was condemned, Gateway Park was full of hobos and crime, and the East Wetlands was a thicket full of crime. Now when I go down there, I park in Gateway Park and see families and community and events happening, weddings and picnics, and then I hike to the East Wetlands and see endangered species and hordes of birders and hikers and people taking pictures under trees for the wedding. It’s an amazing transformation,” Phillips said.
“He got the people of Yuma to talk to each other, to share with each other and to stay committed to get something done,” board member Tom Rushin said.
Work with Quechan tribe commended
Rushin praised Flynn’s relationship with the Quechan Tribe, which has land on the other side of the river. Previously, he noted, “the relationship between the tribe and the city and residents was ‘you do your thing and we’ll do our thing.’ It wasn’t a feeling of we’re in this together and we’re going to make something work. Charlie came in and was a trustworthy individual who could get things done.”
Rushin also praised Flynn’s ability to relate to all people, whether a senator or a homeless person. “If they had something to contribute, Charlie was willing to listen.”
Brian Golding Jr., director of economic development for the Quechan Indian Tribe, said he was impressed by Flynn’s willingness to engage with the tribe. “Through Charlie’s leadership we were all able to work together well and make something that was seemingly impossible possible.”
“Overarching vision” connected people back to river
Kevin Eatherly, former Yuma wetlands project manager, noted that Flynn had a vision of what the riverfront could be and set out to achieve that vision. “The overarching vision was connecting people back to the river, the reason why Yuma was here to begin with.”
Yuma historian Tina Clark described Flynn as “really so positive, he’s easy to work for and engenders creativity ... He knows how to inspire people.”
Jim Cherry, former Bureau of Reclamation area manager, highlighted Flynn’s passion for developing the riverfront. “It took a passion to get all this accomplished with all the agencies and organizations involved. He stuck with it, he worked hard, and he recognized that each step of the way, all these people had to be brought along with him so that we can have what we have now.”
Flynn called himself but one piece of the puzzle, with city leaders and community folks making it possible. He recalled guaranteeing success to former mayor Joyce Wilson but noting that it would take a few years.
Biggest breakthrough was the opening of Gateway Park
“We would bring something to market every few years so the political leadership and the community wouldn’t lose faith that something would happen. For example, we were able to open the Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge in 2002. We were able to open the first phase of the West Wetlands at the end of 2002. We started our first clearing in 2004 of the East Wetlands. Probably the biggest breakthrough was when we opened Gateway Park in 2007 and people mobbed it. They felt now they had a true connection. And it took 10 years to get the hotel conference center, and it was not easy,” he said.
The political leaders “took a lot of heat because it opened right in the recession, and yes, it went through turmoil, but today it’s in very strong shape,” Flynn added, noting that another downtown riverfront hotel is about to be built without any subsidies, “which is the point, take a project, make it happen and bring it to market so now it can stand on its own.”
He thanked the “unbelievable” staff and board and community. “They have stuck together and made all this happen.”
More to be done
However, Flynn pointed out, “this project is not over. I may be handing it off to Lowell Perry Jr. and it’s parks facing each other, in good hands,” but there’s two communities working more to do. He regrets not together to really make the finishing a couple of projects, riverfront beautiful. That in particular the East to me is the next step. Wetlands, under his watch. “But I told Lowell, we developed “We are making progress, a plan and a dream in fact on July 11, we open 16, 17 years ago. I urge Lowell a second beach in the western and the staff and the part of the beach, Playa community, just reset and Linda. And I hope that can dream again beyond what be completed as I come I think. It shouldn’t be back as a snowbird to see trapped by what I thought it.” or what we thought 16, 17
Moving forward, he believes years ago. Yes, I think the the most important Quechan Park is important, project is the Quechan but I hope this community Tribe’s plans for a riverfront continues to dream park across from and make things happen.” Gateway Park. “Imagine He concluded with these five or 10 years from now, words: “I thank all of you two beautiful riverfront for a great 19 years.”