Margaret T Hance park is a center piece of Downtown Phoenix. Sitting right along the Japanese Friendship Garden, it's not only large but beautiful and peaceful surrounded with greenery. In 2020 thanks to the Fiesta Bowl committee, the children's playground was upgraded to the cute big metal animal structures that it is now. Kids can climb and slide inside an owl, rabbit and fox. They can dig in the covered white sand pit, crawl along the spiderweb ropes, and run and climb up the rock wall. It's a cute, bright area, and my kids get excited to go to "the animal park" every time we're Downtown. I've witnessed many cool events in this park from film crews, yoga groups, protest marches, festivals and concerts. Events and festivals for the Super bowl and NCAA final four have been held here. My favorite memory was being front row for Macklemore and Aerosmith during the NCAA many years ago. Follow @msbusyblonde on Instagram read more

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We absolutely adore this little park near Roosevelt Row. We live in Mesa so we don't visit as often, but every time, we've enjoyed the quiet and the space. There's plenty of space to lie around to relax or set up for a picnic. Nearby, there is the Japanse Friendship Garden and lots of coffee and restaurants. We were here earlier today for our little one to enjoy the park and run around. The playground here is very playful with giant structures to climb and around. There was also a small rock climbing wall for bigger kids to enjoy. There is plenty of parking, everyone keeps to themselves, and a doggy park not too far away! I highly recommend for everyone looking for a nice spot to relax and chill. read more

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When I think of large parks that can hold big events or be enjoyable to stroll through, bring a dog, or perhaps have a picnic, I can certainly envision the Margaret T. Hance Park. I've personally been there for a number of festivals over the years, and my sister-in-law has led fitness classes in the park. I have also used the park to cut across from the library to the other side of the park as a shortcut before. I feel that it is well-maintained with some play grounds, areas to sit, and areas to avoid the sun as need be. I stopped by the Margaret T. Hance Park this past weekend to attend the annual Arizona Fall Festival, which included food, service, and shopping vendors, plenty of food trucks, alcohol tasting area, games, auction, and more. This upcoming week, the Phoenix Pizza Festival will be held there. A lot of careful planning takes place for each and every festival taking place in the park. This public park was named after the first female mayor of Phoenix who advocated for the park. In 2016, the city announced a ten-year master plan costing over $100 million dollars, which would include adding an amphitheater, a skate park, and more. The park is home to the Japanese Friendship Garden, Irish Cultural Center, McClelland Irish Library, Phoenix Center for the Arts, and Burton Barr Phoenix Central Library.​ Features of the 32-acre park include a dog park, drinking fountains, grills, picnic area, playground, restrooms, shade structures, splash pad, and a volleyball court. The park itself is ADA accessible. The published hours of the park are daily from 6 AM to 10:30 PM. You can read more about the park at https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/parks/activities-facilities/city-parks/margaret-t-hance-park.html. I look forward to seeing what this park turns into as it has such amazing potential! read more

This park has come a long way. It is very clean and nice and has a lot of activities for kids. 10/10 read more

Margaret T Hance Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Beautiful well maintained playground with wonderful climbing structures shaped like animals! They also have a sand play area and a climbing wall! Our 4 year old daughter had a blast. The only negative was the park bathroom was nasty and had signs of homeless. read more

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I've only been here a handful of times. But came here recently for one of the free Super Bowl free concerts. ​It has hosted events for major sporting in the past. Margaret T. Hance Park is a 32-acre park named in honor of the city's first female mayor. It's located in Downtown Phoenix. It is home to the Japanese Friendship Garden, Irish Cultural Center, Burton Barr Phoenix Library and the Phoenix Center for the Arts. It's a nice park, but restrooms and drinking fountains could use an upgrade. Parking in this area can be a real pain during some of the bigger events. read more

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Ever since they reopened this park after renovations, I've been a fan. It has decent parking, it's close to the light rail, and it's nearby several nice businesses to get coffee, lunch, or dinner. What finally pressed me into giving a review (and a five star one, at that) was checking out the dog park. In addition to playgrounds, open space, walking paths, and sand volleyball courts, there are two dog parks: one for small dogs, and one where all are welcome. Both times I've brought my dog, he had a great time being social with other pups. There's even a doggie water fountain for those of us who sometimes forget our portable bowl. Prior to appreciating the dog park, I've enjoyed date night picnics and volleyball games with friends in this space. It's a great addition to downtown and provides opportunities to be active and to get out of the house without spending money. read more

The new children's play area at Hance Park is now done and is fabulous. There are large animal sculptures with hidden climbing ropes inside, and owl slide, a beginner rock climb area and soft wood chip covered ground - safe to fall down on plus dozens of new trees, native succulents, grasses and ocotillos. An elevated walkway from east to west provides a nice view of the surrounding area and the picnic areas have also been modernized with several shade structures installed. It has only been open one week as of this review, go be one of the first to check it out. Fundraising is in process to continue upgrading the central and eastern portion of the park, let's hope those areas turn out as nice as the play area. read more

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This park is very nice and I would like to see what it looks like when it's complete. There are very cool and unique play structures. The sand box is large and covered. The bathrooms were disgusting. My 3 year old ever said she'd wait until we got home. Hope they update them with all the other upgrades this park has had read more

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Unique playground in a quiet downtown neighborhood. Great for kids (Ages 3-9) to explore the climbing fixtures, which are designed to look like animals. The restrooms are used as showers by the local population (not uncommon for a city park), so I recommend using the facilities elsewhere before you visit the park, if possible. There is also a nice garden adjacent to the park, which is great if you need to push a stroller and kill some time. read more

Park centrally located just north of downtown Phoenix. The Phoenix main library is adjacent to the park. It looks to be well maintained. I do have an issue with the lack of water fountains(I only found one working one). Recommended. read more

Margaret T Hance Park - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Big wtf?! Seriously, whomever controls the timer of the sprinkler system here is an absolute dunce. Came here with my family on Saturday at noon... and were soaked on a completely paved area by the sprinklers. Baby, wife, dog, and all. Name a park that has sprinklers running on a beautiful Saturday at noon?!? Arizona is full of incompetence. Tell the contractors.... "Duuurrrr people are in the park at prime hours... don't run the sprinkler to late or too early." Absolute idiots read more

Margaret T Hance Park - Family was absolutely soaked on a completely paved area with a bench.... After moving from the grass when anticipating sprinklers. - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I've been to the Irish Festival, Chinese Festival, and now the AZ Fall Festival which all took place here and I just love how they utilize the large space. When the park is used for festivals it's very clean and organized but outside of the festivals I wouldn't say I'd visit the park. I would say if a big event is happening here, don't be afraid to come. However, maybe don't visit this park alone, at night? read more

Margaret T Hance Park - Local food trucks during the AZ Fall Fest; great pupusas from the Salvadoreño family owned restaurant. - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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Visited this park for the first time this year with my four legged friend. The day we visited they were having a Halloween costume contest for dogs! The grassy park area is big with a small playground for kids. I didn't see much shade and also didn't see any ramadas or tables where we were at. They have a pretty nice pathway that goes all around the park. They also always have events going on so make sure to check it out on their Facebook page! read more

Really cool park for kids of many ages. Creative areas for them to climb. A splash pad in the hotter months and plenty of shade and spaces for parents and caregivers to keep a safe but a little distance for their kids to play. read more

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Super cool, BIG, park! We went here for the art show but the entire park is awesome! All of the latest updates to the park are amazing artistic spectacles. Our daughter loved it and so did we! read more

Really cool, larger park! Nice place for an outdoor concert venue and general day out with family. Lots of nice, grassy field, play sets for families, and it is well-situated near downtown and several new apartment buildings. I would be interested in returning for a casual visit read more

We attended the Phoenix Festival of the Arts here. The park was quite large and a good place for such a festivity. The show had approximately 170 art and food vendors. It was easy to walk and very flat. It could easily accommodate strollers and walkers. The festival was free. For the show, it was a decent show with glass, painters, clay sculpture, clothing etc. There was also entertainment with musicians and a "circus" for children where they could walk on stilts, play hula hoops or do a balancing act. Plenty of free parking in and around the festival. read more

Such a cute little park! My kids enjoyed the rock climbing walls and the white sandbox! They also liked how everything was animals! There's a little for everyone to do here and you can tell the park rangers really care about it. It's well maintained and clean. The reason I knocked a star off is that there's so many homeless people here. Not at the playground but everywhere around it. Many harassing me for money which is really annoying when I'm trying to play with my kids. read more

Great park to take the kids and the dogs at the dog park. We've been going to this park for years for events and now with our toddler. For summer I recommend to go really early. Also we use this park to park the car for first Fridays! read more

I absolutely LOVE this park! It such a cozy setting in Downtown Phoenix. I have attended a few events here in years prior and they have all been executed so smoothly. Parking is easy, there is a dog park, play areas for kiddos, bathrooms, and more. I also love that it is right off of the freeway and easy to access from other parts of town. In fact, the park actually runs OVER the freeway! SO crazy! If you're in the area and looking for a park to relax and unwind with kiddos, your dog, or a loved one on a gorgeous AZ Fall/Spring day - this is your spot! I know that we will be back in the future. Our sweet sheepie LOVES it here! read more

First time here at the park & it just happened to be the day of the annual Fall Festival, so I got to enjoy the ambience of the park itself & lots to do, plus perfect weather & a day spent with one of my best male friends. I LOVE this park & would have given it 5 stars, with the exception of parking sucks downtown unless you want to pay for it. Best thing to do is take the lightrail to any events held at this park. I do recommend it for a day of fun. read more

This is a really nice park in the Phoenix area. It has a lot of grassy spots, playground, and walking paths. Also, it is located conveniently close to Roosevelt Row which has a bunch of good spots to dine and get desserts. Added bonus, this is also a decent park to play Pokemon Go. read more

Came here yesterday for the Chinese festival. It's a big park 2 different sections. They have a volleyball court. There is construction going on right now to some parts of the park. At the festival they had food trucks as well. I believe in the summer the chain smokers were here and preformed at this park for free. read more

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Easy fall festival was in full swing the park was beautiful and there were many people everywhere. We really enjoyed our couple hours of checking out the booths and people watching read more

Margaret T Hance Park - Az fall festival - Parks Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

My son and I were strolling around after a Sudan's brunch when I was visiting and happened on this park. It is a large open space park with some trees. There were flags- I'm not sure what they represented as there wasn't a breeze to see them. There were large iron art works in the shape of dogs. We happened upon the Donut Festival so of course we went lol It was very nice with many donut and food trucks. There was an excellent band on a large stage. Overall just a really nice surprise and loved the park. read more

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Love this park! it's a nice green space in the midle of downtown. every afternoon you will find runners jogging the path around the park, kids and parents playing on the playground, people playing volleyball on the sand court, and people walking their dogs. compared to where I used to live in Austin, dog owners here are VERY responsible. I rarely ever see someone who doesn't pick up after their pet. (note: the park does not have stations that provide doggy poop bags, you have to bring your own) only reason this park doesn't get five stars is because there are quite a few homeless people who use the area for sleeping or hanging out. if you walk under the bridge toward the library you walk right into a HUGE crowd of homeless people hanging out outside the library. it can be a little intimidating. there are two shaded ramadas in the park which you can reserve for parties or other events for a fee. the information for how to reserve one is posted on the ramadas themselves. read more

This is a great place to just sit back and look at the clouds. The Skyline of the city protrudes all around you. It for sure is culturally diverse. There are many great places within walking distance to grab a bite to eat. They have many events here, so check out the web site and see what's doing. It's pretty big and expands over two city blocks. Just to the south of the park is the Irish Cultural Center. There is no fee to get in, so you can kill two birds with one stone. Just to the east is the light rail and the massive Phoenix Public Library for you book worms. Often times they have outdoor movies, food trucks and jumpers for the kids. It's in an eclectic part of Phoenix that ruminates with history. So, hop in your bad mahamma Jamma ride and get your tiny buns down here. Good for kids too! #vinosquared #vino2 #vino2ultimate read more

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I visited this city park 2 days ago for the Rockstar Dog Rescue & Sanctuary's Dogtoberfest 2018. I was there in the evening. I like the park in general, especially the very thick long green grass at the main entrance where the signage is. I also like the aluminum toilet seats which makes the (big) restroom look more upscale. As usual with park restrooms, it was dirty- with the hand dryer not working and not enough toilet papers and no soap but just some germ-x pump. However, in all fairness, it was at night and maybe it's cleaner and more functional during the day. There was no litter and no one (thankfully) smoked ;) More lights would be nice also, especially if there is an event happening. I can tell while walking around with my Shih Tzu dog, Romeo, in a pet stroller (which was part of the Halloween 'costume' ;) ) that the park has been taken care of overall on a daily basis, being that it's a city park where the city imposes some rules to keep it safe and clean. I appreciate that there is a sidewalk all around the park (without some cut-off) designed for strollers and wheelchairs. There is a little playground and what looked like a volleyball court (it was dark and poorly lit, so I couldn't see or tell exactly). A bonus is there is a big / little dog park adjacent to this park, which is perfect for people who live in apartments / condos and don't have a yard. I also love the tall buildings as a backdrop, which suits the classic city gal in me ;) I spotted a couple homeless men, but they were not a bother and had every right to be there just like any other citizen, since they weren't breaking laws just for being there like everyone else was. It's called city life anyway. The park is actually over the equally-renowned one-lane Papago Freeway Tunnel (that long Deck Park Tunnel) that's part of Interstate 10, but you won't hear the vehicles or feel the vibrations ;) As typical of downtown, the park holds various events and festivals during the cooler months to also keep from languishing over time. The park was named after Margaret T. Hance (1923-1990), who was Phoenix's first (female) mayor, 1977-83. The city is assigned to maintain the park and keep up its vibrancy. Thank-you for kindly and patiently allowing events to be held. The dogs at Dogtoberfest were all well-behaved. I shall be back with Romeo (who truly loved the stroll) someday :) read more

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In 1992, Interstate 10 between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans was one mile from completion. All that remained was a one mile stretch in Downtown Phoenix between 3rd Avenue and 3rd Street. To commemorate the completion of Interstate 10 and bring a sense of community back to the Downtown Phoenix area, the City of Phoenix and architects from Japan teamed up to create a tunnel with a park lining the topside of the final connection of Interstate 10. The resulting park was named after Margaret T Hance, Phoenix's first female Mayor. Once Hance Park was completed in 1992, Phoenix had high hopes that the new expansive greenspace would be an integral part of the Downtown Phoenix revitalization process. Instead the park sat largely vacant for most of its existence, with few events, little public interest, and left to its own devices at night. But with the Downtown Phoenix area finally in its ascendancy, it seems Hance Park is finally beginning to live up to its potential as a public event magnet and neighborhood gathering space. There's still work to be done, but 25 years after its inception, the City of Phoenix in collaboration with the Hance Park Conservancy are helping the park to come into full view of the city and those who visit. The most obvious change after all of these years is the sheer volume of events that take place at Hance Park on an annual basis. While the summertime events calendar still remains largely untapped, you can bet there will be people on the grounds of the park during the weekends in Fall, Winter, and Spring. The Phoenix Arts Festival, the Local First Arizona Fall Festival, the St Patricks Day Festival, Phoenix Chinese Week, Tacolandia, The Phoenix Pizza Festival, The McDowell Mountain Music Festival, Noche en Blanco, Festival de Espana, and the list goes on and on. As Downtown's population has swelled, so too has the demand for the parks facilities. Making Hance Park the workhorse in Downtown's still nascent park scene. With the park's newfound demand, upgraded infrastructure is needed to keep the park going strong and meet the needs of the neighborhood for future generations. Enter the Hance Park Conservancy, a group formed to preserve, promote and (where needed) improve the park to serve the needs of the community. In 2016, the Conservancy unveiled a ten year master plan which will focus on key areas of the park for renovation and improvement. Among the goals: Making the area around the Central Avenue bridge more vibrant, adding a skatepark, adding more natural shade using various plants and trees, adding a water park, more seating areas, and designated areas for food trucks as well as brick and mortar food and drink vendors. The plan is a public/private partnership to be completed in stages. The first stage was completed in 2016 in which the park was shored up as much of the old aboveground water systems and concrete were repaired after years of decay. Future stages will begin as funding becomes available. From a personal standpoint, I've used the park both for events as well as going for a stroll, or throwing a Frisbee or football with friends and family, and I've seen numerous kids birthday parties held here. The park as it stands today is pretty well kept with the lawns, trees, and bushes kept green and groomed regularly. Unless there's events going on here at night, the park can still be sketchy place in spots during the evening hours (mainly around the Central Avenue Bridge). My hope is that the Conservancy's full vision is realized and the park truly ascends to become a full time venue both day and night here in Downtown. For now, the park is busier than its ever been, there's momentum for more upgrades and improvements, and housing complexes are sprouting up all around the perimeter of the park (Portland Place, Portland On The Park, and EnHance Park just name a few). All things considered, the future looks bright for this 25 year old greenspace and the neighborhood surrounding it. Hopefully I'll be around to see the Hance Park master plan from its infancy all the way to completion. read more

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I love this park. I come often for local festivals. The location is ideal as it's only a 5 minute walk to the lightrail. It really feels like you are in the center of the city. Feeling the true vibe of Phoenix..enjoying all members of the community. read more

This is a nice park. Kids can play and run around. It's clean and not overly populated. I like it. It's disappointing to see people say the homeless population that has found refuge in this park takes away from it. Personally I think it adds to it. I visit this park because of the small group of homeless people that can be found there. It gives me the opportunity to say hello and acknowledge people that are often looked down upon and forgotten. It's amazing how far a simple smile and a hello can go. Try it sometime. :) read more

This park is located in a scenic area and that's what drew us to stop here. The playground is small, lots of parking, the drinking fountains and restrooms were dirty and closed. There were transient looking people walking around which made me a little uneasy. Lots of green grass to run around in. read more

I like that the park is sectioned out so there are various separate activities simultaneously without feeling like you are on top of each other. The dog park is one we visit often. We use the large dog side and for the most part all of the dogs and dog owners are courteous and responsive if something happens during play. read more

For Phoenix, this is a pretty sweet stroll with a view of downtown and Phoenix Public Library. Felt great to get away from all the concrete. The grass felt like luscious British grassy hills. Although, a bit sketchy since it is downtown and some stragglers here and there. Still felt safe. read more

Nice big park. I went there for the street cinema event there were a lot of people. It is a clean park good for adults, kids, and pets. read more

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This is a go to spot for our fam for many reasons. When my son took art classes at the city of Phoenix we'd wait here & catch up on emails & soaking up the sun. In the AZ fab Fall/Winter/Spring this is great park for reading your library books you rent from the adjacent library. Been to quite a few festivals most recently the pizza festival & this park is always kept up & pretty. Can't say anything negative about this park other than like any park I'd avoid at night alone. read more

I love a good dog park - and this one has quite a lot to offer. Lots of bags for the poop, drinking fountain for dogs and humans of all sizes, shade for everyone when it gets too hot - and a separate park for large and small dogs. Other than that, trying to maintain the grass and keeping it clean are important and neither were a problem here. While looking for it, I stumbled upon the Japanese Friendship Garden - which I immediately added to my list of places to visit without a doggie in tow. I will be back! read more

I don't know how it feels in summer, but now it's great. I love the thick warm air with a cooling wind in the evening. It smells like blooming flowers and fresh grass. It's very romantic. We love to walk and talk about different staff with my husband. The only thing I hope they'll change - absence of the benches. read more

This would be a great park if it didn't feel so... forgotten. It's in an area a lot of people don't frequent except the homeless, and there are so many homeless people living there, you are a little intimidated, but not really deterred. But enough to make you kind of feel like it's not a park, but someone's house. I felt like I was walking through someone's house... that was the feeling. But, the grounds are immaculate, and it's a wonderful space. It would be nice if the city had some cops on segways kind of keeping the area moving like they do at civic space just so people don't set up camp. It's a shame, because it's connected to one of the best libraries in the city, but you feel like you can't really enjoy the attached park that much. Ordinarily, you'd see a ton of kids at the park, but alas, no kids. Phoenix can do better. read more