tucson preparing for massive park upgrades and improvements

Fast on the heels of the successful passage of a general obligation bond providing up to $225 million for park construction work, Tucson city officials are now in the process of planning where and when that work will take place.

That bond, known as Proposition 407, was approved by Tucson residents with 54 percent of the vote.

Plans call for the park project to be done in three two-year phases between 2020 and 2028, and divided into five categories: pools and splash pads, sports fields and courts, playgrounds, new parks, and general city-wide park improvements.

The pool category will include the reopening of two pools and renovations to nearly two dozen other pools. The splash pad work means the construction of 14 new pads and renovation of another three.

Sports field work will see one new baseball field, five new little league fields, four new softball fields, six new multi-purpose fields, four new basketball courts, 22 new pickleball courts, and the very large renovation of 54 existing tennis courts.

In the playground category are plans for 20 new playgrounds, and the renovation of 36 already- existing playgrounds.

The construction of three brand new parks of varying size are also part of the bond plan.

In the days leading up to the vote, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild told the Arizona Daily Star that of the city’s 128 parks, the general obligation bond projects would impact 100 of them.

The Mayor added: “We are going to touch every pool, every tennis court, and we are going to add new playground equipment across the city.”

By Garry Boulard

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