The Woodland Lake Task Force was started in 2007 by then Councilman Norris Dodd and Mayor Barbara Teague. Krigbaum attended the first meeting along with other concerned residents. Three of the attendees went to talk to Mayor Teague after the meeting about starting an organization called “Save our Park.” Teague agreed and went to the White Mountain Land Trust (WMLT) meeting (Krigbaum was secretary at the time) and asked to start a foundation to save the Park. The WMLT told her that they already had a 501C3 and that she could set it up under them. Then they could collect donations toward the Woodland Lake Park rescue mission and thus the “Save Our Park” foundation was started.

That same year they held a fundraiser called the “5K Walk to Save Our Park.” Dennis Allman had just retired with marketing experience under his belt and put the new fundraiser together. It was held at the Pinetop-Lakes Golf Course where they mapped out five kilometers (3.1 miles). It was held on the first Saturday in June which set a precedence for the following 13 years — to hold the fundraiser every year on National Trails Day. 

The committee to “Save Our Park” kept meeting but they were unable to get an appraisal until 2010 when it was appraised at six million dollars. Councilman Norris Dodd contacted the Trust for Public Lands (TPL) and they came and did a study of Pinetop-Lakeside’s financials to see if they could afford to buy the land. The TPL told them they could raise the money if they included .4% on their sales tax. So, the Council included the tax percentage that would go to a special fund for Woodland Lake Park. That same year, a three-year 1% increase was included in the sales tax for educational purposes and so, they would have to wait three years. Then local businesses fought the .4% increase for the Park and it was voted down.

The “Save the Park” committee moved forward with more fundraisers and eventually joined forces with the White Mountain Nature Center, who needed to raise funds as well. They changed the name of the fundraiser to “Walk for the Woods.” They continued until 2015 when Norris Dodd said, “You know the economic situation has increased in Phoenix and Tucson but not up here. We still have empty buildings and our sales tax revenue isn’t that great. We haven’t recovered from the economic downturn — let’s have another appraisal.” Using some of the funds that they had raised, they paid for another appraisal. It came in at 1.9 million dollars — a huge difference from the previous six million dollars from 2010. So, the Pinetop-Lakeside Town Council submitted a form to the Forest Service to request the certified appraisal. It took three years of standing in line but, on October of 2018, they got the official figure from the US Forest Service which stated that Woodland Lake Park (107 acres) was worth 1.635 million dollars to the Government — they got the official paperwork in May of 2019.

“It was never going to be that low again,” Krigbaum told me. “so, we better do something now!” They hired a fundraising group out of Phoenix that had connections to big name foundations that were willing to donate to special causes and they paid for a study on how to create a public/private partnership. They also tried to sell the Walnut Creek node, about 60 acres across from Safeway, to construct a shopping area and resort that would include an easement through the WMLT that would buffer the area from the residents. — they had no takers. 

Today, the Forest Service is leaning on the Town to buy the park. However, Federal legislation put in place by Senator John McCain back in 1998, states that the only entity that can buy the Park is the Town of Pinetop-Lakeside. There is still a possibility that someone could come in and try to change that legislation. So, the battle continues. 

Things are looking brighter for the purchase, though. They are getting bigger donations through the fundraising group and just recently had a potential donation that would pay for the entire Park area (107 acres). Krigbaum isn’t going to stop there, however. She sees so much potential in the surrounding areas. Eventually, she would like to see Mountain Meadow Recreation Area and Woodland Park connected along with the trail system between the two. “We think this area would be great for a mountain bike race for the high schools’ mountain bike teams. There is also talk of a high-elevation training center.

Woodland Lake Park is part of an urban open space that is essential for so many things. Research has shown that the social/economic value of open spaces, especially one such as Woodland Lake Park, is essential to cultural development. Woodland Lake Park not only provides a chance for visitors to relish the abundance of nature such as birds and wildlife but it provides places for social recreation, sports and exercising in a scenic setting.

Krigbaum told me that the numbers are simple. The $1,635 million that is needed to Save the Park, divided by square feet, equals 35 cents a square foot. “That shows that anyone and everyone can contribute.” she said. As for the rest of the acreage, she plans on doing another appraisal but it will take at least two more years. There are some big plans for the acreage. In the meantime, the Town still maintains the park, paid for by a tax that pays for both Woodland Lake Park and Mountain Meadows and residents and out-of-towners, still visit the park to enjoy a plethora of activities. Personally, I have enjoyed the park for 25 years. My son played soccer, baseball and softball there — and the fishing is pretty good… I hear.

Lynn Krigbaum has finished one year of her four-year term as a Pinetop-Lakeside Councilwoman. She has lived here for over 22 years and enjoys the outdoors. She is a member of the TRACKS hiking organization and loves to cross-country ski. She has a master’s degree in bacteriology and immuniology from Berkley, California. After marrying her husband David (both from Marion, Ohio), a pediatrician in Phoenix, she volunteered for St. Diamond and St. Jude where she led science lab activities for about 550 K-8 students. She is certified in the Diocesan Curriculum as well as having attended classes at ASU on how to teach science to kids — she won a national award for teaching science. Today, Krigbaum is also involved with the STEM program and the Science Fairs held for high schoolers in the local area.