The Park Foundation of Phoenix was established in 1979 to encourage private sector involvement in the acquisition and development of Phoenix parks.

Arcadia Park was developed through the combined efforts of the city and neighborhood groups including Junior League of Phoenix. A how-to manual, From The Ground Up, was developed to help other neighborhood groups establish their parks. The Park Foundation established a tree planting program to plant a tree in honor of someone or something special, and held several tree planting ceremonies in parks across the city.

JLP’s third cookbook, Everything But The Ants, included a guide to Valley parks.