Three new shade structures have been installed at Coconino Community College Page Center, the result of a cooperative effort between the Canyon Club of Page and the City of Page.

Canyon Club President Ken Sichi said the idea for the structures, which provide shade for picnic tables outside the college’s main building, came about when the club was looking for a new project following last year’s opening of Grandview Knoll and the installation of a bike repair station at the Rimview Trail near Lake View Primary School.

“We’d finished our big project over at Grandview Knoll and then we did another project, the bike repair station, over by the Lake View School,” Sichi said. 

“The bike repair station was a collaboration we did with the city, with Parks and Rec. It was kind of test to see if we can help each other out. The club can stretch our dollars further working with the city, using their labor or some of their materials.” 

The shade structure project was recommended by Canyon Club member Kay Leum. Sichi said the budget for the project was right, and the club worked with City Manager Darren Coldwell and Public Works Director Kyle Christiansen on the installation.

The Canyon Club purchased the shade structures at a cost of about $17,000, while the city supplied labor, concrete and equipment for the installation, which was completed last month.

“It just came together. We provided the shade structures, and the city did the concrete work and the installation,” Sichi said, adding that moving forward, there will be more collaboration between the club and the city. “We want to thank the city and Darren and Kyle for their help on the project.” 

The Canyon Club is a nonprofit organization, and its projects – as well as scholarships it awards – are all based on fundraisers, the most important of which is the “Life’s a Ball” ball roll on Sixth Avenue during the Balloon Regatta in November. 

“The Canyon Club’s mission is to do what we can to make Page a better place,” Leum said. “So, we’re looking for projects like the shade structures that look more welcoming and friendly, a comfortable spot for people from the library and the college to sit.” 

Sichi said the Canyon Club is meeting this week with staff from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department to determine whether there are other projects that the club and city can collaborate on.

“These two projects that we did with the city worked out real good, so we decided we’ll see what the city has cooking as far as what Parks and Recreation have. Maybe there’s something there we’d want to pick up and help out on,” he said.

Leum said the Canyon Club is always looking for new members who are interested in helping make Page a better place to live. The club has lunch meetings the first and the third Wednesday of every month at Gone West, and anyone who is interested is welcome to attend. 

The club also hosts monthly Friday socials at the Courtyard by Marriott, which are free and open to the public. The next one is scheduled for July 15 and will feature a talk by Grand Canyon historian, hiker, river runner and adventurer Tom Martin. Social hour starts at 6 p.m., and the presentation is at 7 p.m.