August 1st, 2025

If you have any concerns that you'd like to talk with me about, please email me at LBaldenegro@GLENDALEAZ.com, or you can contact me by phone at: (623) 930-2244

Whether he’s assisting with programs at the Glendale Community Center, connecting with residents at O’Neil Park Recreation Center, or hosting BINGO with local seniors, Councilmember Baldenegro is always happy to meet with constituents to discuss any questions, comments, or concerns.

To schedule a time to connect, feel free to reach out by phone at 623-930-2244 or via email at lbaldenegro@glendaleaz.com.

Councilmember Message

With the new school year beginning next week in the Glendale school district, it's the perfect time for a quick refresher on driving and Crosswalk Safety — for both students and drivers.

Kids:

Wait until the crossing guard gives the go-ahead before stepping into the crosswalk. You’ll know it’s time when they walk to the middle and raise the stop sign. Always stay alert—put away electronics, avoid running or playing around while waiting to cross.

Drivers:

Try to give yourself some extra time to your daily commute and routine in the morning and dismissal release times. Ensure to stop when buses have the "stop" sign displayed for boarding and exiting students and be on a lookout for students crossing traffic. Be extra cautious in school zones! Stop well before the crosswalk, eliminate distractions like texting, and wait until the crossing guard and all students have cleared the crosswalk before moving forward.

By keeping these simple tips in mind, we can all help make this school year safe and successful for everyone.

To all the teachers and school administrators, thank you for all that you do on a daily basis educating the students and supporting the growth of our future leaders! Have a wonderful year!

To watch Councilmember Baldenegro's video message, click here!

Want a quick visual reminder? Check out the City of Glendale’s Crosswalk Safety video here!

Next City Council Meeting: August 12th, 2025

Congratulations to A Touch of European Cafe on their recent 22 years of service milestone! A touch of European Cafe is a lovely restaurant in Historic Downtown Glendale.

For over 22 years, Chef Waldemar Okula and his wife Malgorzata have been serving up heartfelt, homemade European comfort food at A Touch of European Café in downtown Glendale. Originally from Poland, the couple brings tradition, flavor, and warmth to every plate and to every guest. Waldemar creates unforgettable meals from scratch, while Malgorzata tends to focus on made from scratch baked goods and fills the café with love, laughter, and a welcoming spirit.

Favorites like goulash, stuffed cabbage, kielbasa, and their signature soups (with the ability to ask for just a “shot” to sample)! Daily specials, hearty sandwiches, and rich stews like Bigos (Hunter’s Stew) round out a flavorful menu.

The Okulas host cooking classes and even take groups on culinary tours of Poland—just another way they share their passion for food and community. Whether it’s your first visit or your fiftieth, you’ll leave full, happy, and planning your next meal. Thank you, A Touch of European Cafe, for sharing your amazing food and culinary expertise, and calling Downtown Glendale home.

*Photo credit to A Touch of European website: www.atouchofeuropeancafe.com

The Glendale Community Alert System powered by Everbridge is the mass notification system Glendale uses to keep you informed about critical information and important events within the community.

This system will be used for emergency alerts, as well as non-emergency incidents that may have significant impacts on residents. This service allows city public safety officials to send out emergency notifications by phone, text, email and other contact methods to thousands of residents and businesses within a short amount of time.

Visit the City of Glendale Community Alert Portal or download the Everbridge mobile app from the App Store or Google Play Store to sign up. For more information on Community Alerts, click here!

Glendale Community Center

Located in the heart of downtown Glendale at 5401 W. Ocotillo Drive, the Glendale Community Center is a small, vibrant neighborhood hub offering various free community programs. The center caters to all age groups, including youth, teens, adults, and seniors. Programs encompass educational, recreational, and fitness activities, aiming to enhance community engagement and well-being.

Program Highlights: 

Youth Programs: Activities designed to foster learning and social skills.

Teen Programs: Engaging activities that promote personal development and community involvement.

Adult Programs: Educational and recreational activities tailored to adult interests and fitness.

Senior Programs: Programs focused on social interaction, learning, and physical wellness for seniors.

After School Programs: Free, drop-in Afterschool Program for youth ages 6-14 that provides supervised recreational activities, crafts, games, sports, clubs, homework help, and special events. This is a non-licensed program that runs Monday-Friday, daily meals from St. Mary's Food Bank will be provided to participants and any other youth in the community. Registration required, for more information click here!

Membership:

Enjoy a FREE Membership at the Glendale Community Center! This membership grants you access to a variety of classes and programs for all age groups, including youth, teens, adults, and seniors. By signing up, you'll receive updates on everything happening at the center, including a monthly calendar of classes and events.

For more information or any questions about the programs, click here please call the Glendale Community Center directly at 623-930-4700.

O'Neil Recreation Center

The O'Neil Recreation Center is conveniently located on 67th Avenue and Missouri and offers a variety of free community programs for all ages. Some programs include Stay & Play hours for young families, Virtual Fitness classes and board & card games for adults/seniors, Afterschool and Teen programs, and more! For more information, click here!

Program Highlights: 

Youth Programs: Activities designed to foster learning and social skills.

Teen Programs: Engaging activities that promote personal development and community involvement.

Adult Programs: Educational and recreational activities tailored to adult interests and fitness.

Senior Programs: Programs focused on social interaction, learning, and physical wellness for seniors.

After School Programs: Free, drop-in Afterschool Program for youth ages 6-14 that provides supervised recreational activities, crafts, games, sports, clubs, homework help, and special events. This is a Non-Licensed program that runs Monday-Friday, daily meals from St. Mary's Food Bank will be provided to participants and any other youth in the community.

Membership:

Enjoy a FREE Membership at the Glendale Community Center! This membership grants you access to a variety of classes and programs for all age groups, including youth, teens, adults, and seniors. By signing up, you'll receive updates on everything happening at the center, including a monthly calendar of classes and events.

For more information or any questions about the programs, click here or call the O'Neil Community Center directly at (623) 640-0893.

A long-time city of Glendale employee with extensive experience in transportation planning, capital programming and community knowledge will be the new Transportation Director. In his new role, Purab Adabala will manage all facets of the city’s transportation department, including the Glendale Regional Airport, transit services and the pavement management program.

Adabala has been with the city for 18 years, first joining the department as a transportation planner in 2007. He advanced through his career serving as a Senior Transportation Analyst before being selected as the Transportation Planning Administrator and eventually being promoted to Deputy Director of Transportation in 2022.

“Purab Adabala brings a level of engineering expertise and community knowledge that makes him uniquely qualified to lead the city’s transportation department,” said Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps. “His demonstrated leadership through one of the city’s largest Capital Improvement Plan implementations confirms his ability to take on this critically important role.” Significant transportation infrastructure projects, including transportation and airport master plans, will be a top priority for Adabala. He will also continue to lead the staff involved in traffic signals, roadway signs, pavement markings and the traffic education programs.

“I'm excited to lead the Glendale Transportation team into a new chapter,” said Adabala. “The city has an excellent Transportation team that takes pride in improving lives of the people we serve every day. I'm committed to fostering that collaborative environment where everyone is empowered to contribute their best work.”

Adabala earned a master’s degree in urban planning from University of Kansas and a holds bachelor’s degree in architecture from Andhra University.

Here is a “Pawsome” story!

On July 16, 2025, one of our officers jumped into the water to help a soggy pup in need. The canine fell into the canal and could not get out. Multiple people called 9-1-1 for help and our officer, without hesitation, leaped in and “doggy paddled” over to rescue the dog and reunite it with its thankful owner. I guess you could say our officer is a “retriever.”

To watch the Instagram video, click here!

THE FALL GLENDALE@PLAY RECREATION MAGAZINE IS HERE

The Fall edition of the Glendale@Play Recreation Magazine will be available online. Discover everything Glendale Parks & Recreation has to offer—from youth and adult sports to dance classes, special events, and school break programs.

Don’t miss out—plan your fall fun today! To register for our programs, activities and classes click here!

SUBSCRIBE to receive the Glendale @ Play Recreation Magazine mailed to your home.

To register for our programs, activities and classes

Call or visit either location below, and staff can help you register.

Glendale Adult Center

5970 W. Brown St.

623-930-2820

Foothills Recreation and Aquatics Center

5600 W. Union Hills Dr.

623-930-4600

*This magazine is published by the City of Glendale Parks and Recreation Department

Join our amazing Crime Prevention Specialist Caitlyn Pence in her mission to protect furry friends! She's spearheading the Paw Heat Relief campaign, collecting dog booties at our 3 stations for the unhoused and their pets.

Check out Caitlyn on "Pets on Parade" click here! Thanks for your support, community! Together, we can make a difference!

Do you dream of home ownership? Did you know that the City of Glendale has resources and programs to help residents with owning a home? In the City of Glendale, we know that having a safe and affordable home is important for everyone’s health and well-being. When people spend more than 30% of their income on housing, it can be hard to afford other basics like food, transportation, or savings.

This is especially hard for low and moderate-income families. To help, we’ve gathered resources that can support affordable housing in our city. This list is not an endorsement of any organization and may not include all the resources available. To find City of Glendale tools and housing programs that might assist you, click here!

Glendale has a new homeowner thanks to a program that helps qualified people in subsidized housing with their finances. The program sets a goal of home ownership and helps the participants achieve financial self-sustainability. To watch the success story of Jose Quevedo, a recent Housing Program Participant, click here!

On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th Anniversary (Semi-quincentennial) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

To honor this historic milestone, Arizona is embracing the spirit of independence by celebrating the voices, stories, and diversity of all Arizonans. This special 250th celebration aims to inspire innovation, preserve our rich history, and create meaningful connections across the state.



With the Arizona 250 Pass, you’ll have the chance to explore 250 incredible gems—from local favorites to hidden treasures—all throughout the Grand Canyon State. Let the journey begin!

For more information, click here!

If you are a Glendale resident looking for a way to serve your community, have a special interest or are an expert in a particular field, consider applying for one of the City’s Boards or Commissions.

For more information on the roles and responsibilities of members, please review each board or commission’s page.

If you are interested in serving, applications are always accepted. Annual appointments are made every January. Appointments are also made throughout the year as vacancies occur. Applications will be kept on file for two years and you will be contacted if your application has been recommended by one of our City Council members.

For more information on a specific Board or Commission, please click here!

• The Pavement Management Program here is COMPLETE for the current Fiscal Year. City staff is currently and actively pursuing commitments and schedules from our contractors to address the remaining miles in the Ocotillo District for the next fiscal year.

If you have any questions or want further information, please get in touch with the 24/7 Project Hotline at 602-532-6250. A map for 2024-2025 Pavement Management Program is now available on the Pavement Management website.

IMPORTANT LINKS (CLICK BELOW!)