Avondale, Arizona

Welcome to Avondale, Arizona

105 average summer temperature
41 average winter temperature

On the west bank of the Agua Fria River was a freight station owned by Billy Moore. The term Aqua Fria in Spanish means “cold water” – which is exactly what Moore had – a well with clear, cold water hence the name of his place. Not too far away was a ranch known as Avondale. When the railroad came through the area, it was one mile west of Coldwater. The new train station was on Avondale Ranch however, the station was called Litchfield. When the post office was re-opened after a six year lapse, they had to change the name from Coldwater because once a post office has used a name it can not be re-instated, so they named the post office Avondale. From there, the area developed into what we now know as the city of Avondale.

In 1942 there was a large fire at Riley’s Bar, which was located just east of 8th Street (now called Dysart Road) along Western Avenue. The community of Avondale did not have an official fire department, so the citizens all pitched in to help put out the fire before it spread to other surrounding businesses.

It was because of this fire that leaders of Avondale decided they had grown into a large enough community to be incorporated. So in December of 1946 Avondale was incorporated and by July 22nd 1947 the Avondale Fire Department was created. The volunteer team served more than 2000 residents by the late 1940’s.

Lifestyle
Avondale prides itself as a friendly community for people to live, work and play. As one of the Valley’s fastest growing communities, the city strives to provide open spaces and recreational amenities, and works to attract quality businesses and employers to the area. Residents enjoy the quality of life as well as the hospitality the local officials who through an annual party to thank their residences.

Entertainment, Shopping, Dining

There is plenty to do in Avondale with convenient shopping centers scattered throughout the community with a growing list of popular dining choices. In the heart of the west valley is the Wigman Resort and shopping mall. The resort is a perfect place to hold a wedding, charity event or relax after a day of golf in the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa. If you want to venture out a little further, you can head to Glendale’s hot spot, Westgate City Center which is only a short drive from Avondale.

If you are into fast cars then you will definitely want to check out ISM Raceway located in Avondale at exit 131 off the I-10 freeway. Or if you are into driving fast cars, Avondale has a unique auto mall which has over a dozen auto dealerships, all located in one convenient spot. You can find just about kind of vehicle from trucks, to jeeps to affordable used cars.

Parks, Recreation

Avondale has done a great job offering it’s residents plenty of options when it comes to recreation and family oriented entertainment. Throughout Avondale there are nine city parks, including the most popular Friendship Park which boasts 55-acres with softball fields, soccer fields, covered ramadas, basketball and tennis courts, doggie park, play grounds and walking trails. There is also a charming Japanese Garden with a gazebo as a tribute to Avondale's sister city, Kaizu, Japan.

Avondale Community Center and Civic Center both offer a wide variety of recreational activities for all members of the family. Some of those include, hiking, bird watching, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, mountain biking, archery, geo-caching, and desert survival and camping basics. Avondale also has sports groups for both adults and children at American Sports Center.

Special annual events in Avondale include the Famer’s Market or the Mayor’s Challenge Golf Tournament to Benefit Boys & Girls Club, the Father-Daughter Dance, World Fest and the Veteran's Day Ceremony. Let’s not forget about the two libraries, Avondale Civic Center Library and Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library which provides excellent opportunities for local residents.

Education

There are seven school districts that service the city of Avondale with public, private and charter schools. Avondale Elementary School District # 44 has five K-8 schools, plus there are three high schools that service the area, Westview High, Agua Fria, and the newest addition, La Joya Community High School.

Estrella Mountain Community College offers a variety of classes, as well as online education courses for those who prefer the convenient of studying at home. The University Technical Institute is also located in Avondale. UTI is the country's premier and accredited education for mechanic training.