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Much controversy arose in the years after Mr. Acker's death in 1955 including the contesting/voiding of his will by his 2 daughters. The city ultimately repurchased the 75 acres of land from them using money from Mr. Ackers estate. We have always felt that regardless of past events the citizens should still honor the expressed desires and intent of Mr. Acker's will.
Here is the chronology of events that led to the creation and development of J.S. Acker Memorial Park:
| 1993 | Acker Trust Board recommends sale of last large parcel in Acker bequest. City sends out RFP's |
| 1993 | Acker Trust Board votes to sell land to Chamberlain Ent. $1.2 million cash |
| July 11, 1994 | Special City Council meeting to discuss and vote on future of Acker land. Mary Ann Suttles only dissenting vote to proposed land sale. |
| July, 1994 | Citizen's pack city hall to protest sale of land. 1,200 signatures gathered in one weekend. City Council gives citizens group 6 months to present alternate plan for land. |
| Late July, 1994 | Citizens group formed, The Friends of J.S. Acker. Mission Statement: To present to the Prescott City Council the citizen's plan for the implementation and safeguarding of the wishes of J.S. Acker relative to preserving the property just east of Senator Hwy. for music, youth and parks. |
| Aug./Sept. 1994 | Group designs public input questionnaire for publication in Prescott Sun. 800+ returned. 96% in favor of retaining land for public use. |
| Sept./Dec. 1994 | Friends organize to develop alternative park plan proposal for presentation in mid Jan. Signatures gathered, community organizations contacted, research on park addressing community's needs, assisted city with alternate survey in City to Citizen newsletter (similar numbers respond in support of retaining land), solicited community volunteer and financial support and more. |
| Nov./Dec. 1994 | Rusling-Davis Architects donate services for designing of proposed multipurpose facilities on <20% of land. John Adams coordinates formal written proposal of Acker Assets Management Plan to meet criteria given by council. Dr. Bahn creates a 7 minute slide show of Acker Park for presentation. |
| Jan. 17, 1995 | Friends of J.S. Acker make presentation to City Council. Friends ask for 2 years to get plan established, with a conditional funding program to sell 16 acres if substantial progress not made. |
| January, 1995 | Mayor deems plan grandiose. Council sets up ad hoc meetings with 3 representatives from Council, Friends and Acker Trust Board. |
| Feb./March, 1995 | 2 mediated ad hoc meetings occur with an agreement for the Friends to have 2 years to proceed with park plan. Subsequent City Council meetings present additional undiscussed criteria for the park, in particular a demand for a connector road cutting through the park with possible housing on both sides. |
| April ,1995 | The Friends feel that the only way for a true consensus to determine the fate of the land is to file before the May deadline to have an initiative placed on the ballot for the citizens of Prescott to decide the best use of the land. Negotiations on park plan cease. |
| May, 1995 | Friends gather 1472 signatures in 4 weekends to meet the required 660 signatures needed to place initiative on the ballot. Friends decline City Council offer of 3 alternative divisions of land. |
| June, 1996 | City council considers selling land before September election. Decision later withdrawn. |
| June/Aug. 1996 | Friends campaign to educate public about initiative, booth at fair, display at library, generated $3000 in public support to finance initiative. City offers alternate initiative question for ballot to retain half (40 acres) as a park and selling remaining for road and housing to generate funds for the Acker Trust Board. Agree on Question 3 committee formed to support cities alternate ballot choice. |
| September 26, 1995 | With an impressive 40%+ turnout, election results in a 68% vote in favor of retaining all the land as a park. |
| November, 1995 | City Council officially designates the 75 acre Acker parcel, J.S. Acker Memorial Park. The original neighborhood Acker park located at Linwood off Josephine thus being renamed Dr. John Flinn Park, thereby indirectly fulfilling a request by Mr. Acker in his will that Dr. Flinn be honored with a park. |
| December, 1995 | Friends raise approx. $300 selling Acker Park Christmas photo cards to support park projects. The Friends continue to work with city, suggesting ways to update the park plan to incorporate the new Acker park. Various activities continued to promote new park. |
| January, 1996 | Friends revise mission statement to read: Facilitate community involvement to assist the City of Prescott in preserving and developing J.S. Acker Memorial Park. Park sign and parking area at end of S. Virginia created. |
| February, 1996 | 1st Acker Park Master Plan Steering committee meeting held. Trash receptacles placed at park. 9 benches built by Parks & Rec. Department placed around park by Friends and citizens. Map tube and trail maps placed for park users. |
| March 9, 1996 | Friends of J.S. Acker officially become a Friend of the Park through the Parks & Rec. Department community involvement program. |
| March 26, 1996 | Acker Park M.P. Committee meets to form an advisory sub committee to draft a park master plan. |
| April, 1996 | City sends out park survey to citizens in the monthly utility bill. 2 picnic tables placed near park entrance. Negotiation for alternate Foothills development sewer line route. Scenic creek bed environment saved. Power point presentation made to show history of Acker park. |
| April 27, 1996 | Keep Prescott Beautiful clean up day at Acker Park |
| May, 1996 | Articles of Incorporation completed for Friends. Park survey results in 781 responses for a 5% return ratio. Friends first General Meeting held. 5 Board of Directors nominated. |
| June, 1996 | Opening in park fence created and signs posted to indicated trailhead and picnic table location. Garage sale fund-raiser held -$535 raised. |
| July, 1996 | Participated in Frontier Day parade to represent "Hometown Friends" theme. Voted to join Open Space Alliance for representation. Trail Committee formed. |
| August, 1996 | Third picnic table placed at trail junction near ridge |
| September, 1996 | Participation with Acker Music Park Assoc. in a community booth at Yavapai County Fair to promote Acker Park and Musical Showcase. |
| December, 1996 | Over 1000 Acker Park Holiday cards are sold at 2nd annual fund-raiser, bringing in over $400. |
| February, 1997 | The volunteer Acker Park Planning Committee receives approval for draft master plan from Parks and Rec advisory committee. |
| March, 1997 | The Acker Park Draft Master Plan is presented before the council on March 4. Plan approved in a consent agenda vote March 11. |
| April, 1997 | Acker Park Community Projects report created to identify tasks that can be accomplished by volunteers and other community groups to improve park. Big Brothers/Big Sisters kite fly on park hilltop. |
| May, 1997 | First Annual Trail Projects Day brings together almost 40 volunteers to create a safer return route for loop trail, a new creek crossing trail, installation of directional signs and collection of trash. |
| May, 1997 | Second Annual General Meeting held at Prescott Library |
| July, 1997 | First monthly park project meeting/work session held |
| July 21, 1996 | Receive $3000 grant from the Arizona Community Foundation for the Young Naturalists Notebook program to emphasize nature, art and open space at Acker Park. $520 raised at 2nd Annual Fund-raiser Rummage Sale. |
| August, 1997 | A.V.I.D (Acker Volunteers Involved & Dedicated) for our Park program started to create a corp of citizen volunteers involved in park improvement projects. Projects are held the 3rd Saturday morning of each Month |
| September, 1997 | To promote public awareness, Friends of J.S. Acker and Acker Music Park Association jointly participate in a Community Booth at Yavapai County Fair. People asked to vote on favorite photo taken from park for Holiday Card fundraiser. |
| October, 1997 | A.V.I.D to work with Juvenile Probation Department in providing community service projects at park for youth. $537 received from New Frontiers Health Foods 5% Wednesday based on customer purchases. |
| November, 1997 | 3rd Annual Holiday Card fundraiser begins. Scene depicts a view of Thumb Butte after a winter storm taken from Acker Park. Raised over $3000 |
| Nov. 1997 - Feb. 1998 |
Friends assist City Parks & Rec staff John Nixon and Jim McCasland in filling out the Heritage Grant application |
| February, 1998 | Received approval from City Council to submit the Heritage Fund grant with $50,000 budgeted by City and $25,000 to be raised by the Friends. |
| March, 1998 | Installation of 12 interpretive art pedestals for "Notebooks of Young Naturalists" program |
| April 1998 | Completion of ìNotebooks for Young Naturalistsî program. Art from students installed along with detailed plant information brochure. Volunteers brushed area around park boundary to reduce fire hazard. |
| June 1998 | Eagle Scout project installs 6 hand-built wood picnic tables at park. Children's picnic table stolen before chains attached. |
| July 1998 | Manzanita Village Co-housing residence help create reinforced culvert drainage/bridge for new trail to east side of park. |
| September 1998 | Panel of Judges - Courier's Tom Hood, Council women Lindsay Bell and Sharlot Hall graphic artist Kristy Gullickson - help narrow the holiday card photo contest choices to 7. 5th Annual Community Booth at the Yavapai County Fair-"Jewel of the Heartland" theme. Public holiday card vote and acorn guess for children. |
| October 1998 | Ranked #2 on Heritage grant funding application! $75,000 matching funds for park improvements. St. Michael Hotel Halloween Benefit Party raises $3000 for grant donation. |
| November 1998 | Festive holiday Courthouse lighting scene and view of winter over Watson Lake/Dells are printed for 4th annual card sale fundraiser. Vandals damage 4 interpretive stations on day before Thanksgiving. |
| December 1998 | Stocking Stuffer Bazaar to sell cards and bulb necklaces. City Council approves acceptance of grant. Phil King only dissenting vote. Made over $2500 on card sales. |
| January 1999 | Eagle scout project (Sean Nauss) provides 10 new benches for park visitors. |
| April 1999 | Eagle scout project (Jon Rainey) creates stepped trail to hilltop |
| December 1999 | Annual holiday cards, new Prescott notecard sales and Stocking Stuffer Bazaar generates over $4000 |
| January 2000 | Eagle scout (Chris James) constructs bridge project over creek on main trail |
| April 2000 | Eagle scout project installs 10 blue bird nesting boxes along park trail meadow area. |
| December 2000 | Annual holiday cards completely sell out in stores! Prescott notecard sales and Stocking Stuffer Bazaar. Overall fundraising projects generate $4500 |
| January 2001 | Landscape architect -Barnabas Kane brought on board to help with children's activity area design. |
