For many Buckeye families, a trip to Sundance Park means more than a walk around the lake. It means teaching a child to cast a fishing line, enjoying a quiet morning by the water or spending an afternoon outdoors without leaving the city.
Those experiences will continue for years to come as the City of Buckeye renews its partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Commission through June 2029.
The Buckeye City Council recently approved a new three-year intergovernmental agreement that continues the city's participation in the Arizona Game and Fish Commission's popular Community Fishing Program, ensuring Sundance Park Lake remains one of nearly 30 urban fishing lakes across the Valley.
The partnership has become a favorite amenity for local residents since it first began in 2021. In 2022, Sundance Park Lake officially joined the Community Fishing Program, bringing regular fish stocking and professional fisheries management to one of Buckeye's most popular parks.
“We take great pride in providing a fun, family friendly community fishing opportunity at park lakes and ponds across Arizona,” the ADGF states. “For decades, we’ve been providing excellent customer value through the consistent, reliable delivery of quality fish throughout the year. We will continue to work with new communities to bring more fish to more waters for more people.”
The lake is stocked about every two weeks in the spring and fall with a variety of fish species based on seasonal conditions. Anglers can find rainbow trout during the cooler months, along with channel catfish, largemouth bass, sunfish and other species throughout the year.
According to Alexandra Flickinger with AGFD, stocking will resume in September.
But keeping the fish biting involves much more than simply adding fish to the lake.
The Arizona Game and Fish Commission regularly monitors water quality and biological conditions to ensure the lake remains healthy and suitable for stocking. The agency also provides technical expertise, educational resources and fisheries management, while the City of Buckeye maintains the lake and surrounding park.
The result is a professionally managed fishing destination that gives residents access to quality outdoor recreation just minutes from home.
City officials say the program supports Buckeye's goal of providing a safe and sustainable quality of life by encouraging outdoor activity, environmental stewardship and family-friendly recreation.
The renewed agreement represents a three-year investment of approximately $50,300, with annual partnership fees of about $16,300 already included in the city's operating budget. Those funds help cover fish stocking, water quality monitoring and other services provided through the program.
Under the agreement, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission will continue stocking Sundance Park Lake roughly every two weeks while coordinating with city staff to monitor lake conditions and schedule stocking activities throughout the year.
As Buckeye continues to grow, maintaining recreational amenities like Sundance Park helps preserve opportunities for residents to enjoy Arizona's outdoors without traveling far from home.
Whether it's landing a first fish, spending a peaceful morning on the shoreline or simply enjoying another reason to visit one of Buckeye's parks, the partnership ensures Sundance Park Lake will remain a destination where the community can connect with nature—and each other—for years to come.
