I retired at the ripe old age of 39, so haven't had much to do over the last 9months so I started to visit the park on the daily to people watch. Eventually I got to know all of these horrible, worthless, drug addicted homeless people that everyone seems to always complain about. First, lets not play "the park is just for families and kids.". Parks are for everyone, including those who's only"fault" is that they don't live in a house or apartment. The homeless people there do not hang out in the playground area ever. It's like one if their rules, don't bother the kids or families. Which they do keep to pretty well. They actually don't pan handle here, they do that down the street. The rangers will kick you out real fast if you get caught doing that. Oh, and the bathing in the "children's splash pad," doesn't really happen. Not once in 9 months have I seen anyone actually disrobe, pull out a bar of soap and some shampoo and go to town. There is actually no need to honestly. First and third Saturday central Christian church will pick you up and take you to get food, clothes, showers, etc. Oh and La Paz has showers on Wednesday. Oh, and the Lutheran church does showers Tuesday and Thursday. They all know this and utilize this regularly. However, for some reason any suspected homeless person is cooling down in the splash pad they need to be prepared to be harassed by Mesa PD or the park rangers, who love to speak to the homeless like they are less then people. The rangers will yell, scream, cuss out, and kick people out of the park for simply questioning their authority. They also love to open your bathroom stall while your using it, or look over the top to see what you are doing. If you look homeless and are in the bathroom when the rangers come be prepared to be threatened with arrest if you don't provide ID without RAS. They will also illegally detain without probable cause. Oh and the rangers believe they are the ultimate authority in the park and can do and treat people as they wish. It's not just the rangers though Mesa PD loves to harass the homeless. There "off the streets" program is basically harass the homeless, detain for just sitting at a park bench, threaten arrest for no id without RAS, and constantly trying to trick them into waving their protections granted by the fourth amendment and let them search their belongings because they feel like it. It seems like most if the opinions on the homeless at the park are based merely on appearance and prejudice towards the homeless. I'm here everyday for almost the entire day just watching and I see more issues with misconduct from the rangers and Mesa police then issues with the homeless to be honest. Honestly, I'm pretty sure the police and rangers believe I'm some homeless drug addict because I'm here so much. I'm not though. I like this park, been coming here since the 80's(an yes homeless in the park was an issue....not a problem then as well). It can be very peaceful here, especially during the day. However, it can also get exciting when rangers and police go on a rampage. Like this one time this guy was sitting on the table at ramada 1. Rangers come escalate the situation with foul language, aggressive posturing, and commands whether legal or not I do not know(I was too far away to hear them). I do know this the man got down from the table and attempted to deescalate the situation by walking away slowly in an attempt to leave the park. The rangers told him to stop, he did not. Rangers then quickly drew hus taser and took him down. Police come, detain him for about 45 mins. Then they let him go. I always did wonder what crime he did that would justify someone shooting another in the back while walking away slowly. It obviously wasn't severe enough to go to jail over because they did just let him go. I see stuff like this all time. It's very interesting to watch, it's why I used to come every day all day. read more

Pioneer Park has a really fun mix of history and play, and it's a great spot for families. The old train display is a standout -- you can read about its history while it plays real train sounds, which gives it a cool, interactive feel. There's also a full horseshoe area with multiple posts, basketball courts, and a small splash pad that's perfect for cooling off on hot summer days. The playground has some unique features you don't see everywhere. The metal‑roller slide was a hit, and being able to rock‑climb back up to the top makes it even more fun. The second‑story walkway that connects both sides of the playground adds a little adventure for the kids and makes the layout feel bigger. My only wish is that they added a bit more to the play area -- especially more swings, since there was only one. With all the space they have, a few extra features would make a big difference. Overall, it's a lively, family‑friendly park with plenty to enjoy, and definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

Yikes! This park has good reviews and the grounds are beautiful however the homeless population made it feel incredibly unsafe. One homeless man was eyeing my 1 year old and said "wow aren't you a beautiful little girl" then there was another person roaming around talking to himself and clearly had a freaking crack pipe in his hand! In plain sight. There were multiple homeless people in the bathrooms. If the homeless population kept to themselves I wouldn't mind at all but crack pipes and creepy people speaking to my child. No way. Unsafe park. What a shame. read more

Pioneer Park turned out to be an excellent spot for a memorable day spent with my niece. The park was surprisingly clean, offering us a comfortable and enjoyable atmosphere. My niece's laughter resounded across the playgrounds and open areas as we explored them, displaying her complete happiness. I was able to unwind and enjoy our time together as she played since the well-kept grounds guaranteed her safety. My hopes were met by Pioneer Park, which offered the ideal setting for making priceless memories with my niece. read more

If you're a drug addict you'd probably give this park a 5 but I happen to not deal or use drugs so all the homeless people and drug addicts make me really do my best to avoid this park at all costs. I've read the other reviews and I'm amazing parents take their kids here to play. It's only a matter of time before they are exposed to a dirty needle. read more

Too many homeless people smoking crack pipes when I took my 4 year old to go play. Left immediately after seeing that at 8 am on a Wednesday morning. read more

Mesa just loves to waste money. Seriously, fix something else then a park in a run down area. The people in this area are just going to destroy it. read more

My son who's 10 & hard to pull off the x box had a great time. Very entertaining for the older kids, which is hard to do.