CITY OF TUCSON TO CELEBRATE THE GRAND REOPENING OF SANTA RITA PARK
OCT. 2-3, 2026
Newly renovated park features a splash pad, playground, sports fields, and community-inspired public art
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, Ward 5 Council Member Selina Barajas, Tucson Parks and Recreation, and the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona invite the community to the grand reopening of Santa Rita Park, 401 E. 22nd St., on Friday, Oct. 2. Activities will begin at 5 p.m., followed by remarks and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 3, the Ward 5 Council Office will host a Movies in the Park event featuring “Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” Activities kick off at 6 p.m. and include entertainment, food trucks, kids’ activities, and more.
The reopening celebrates the completion of an estimated $8 million, multi-year renovation shaped by extensive community input, including five public meetings and three surveys that drew a combined 799 responses.
Park Improvements
- A new splash pad with shade
- A new playground with shade
- Asphalt and decomposed granite walking paths around the park’s perimeter, with connections throughout
- A new plaza area for special events
- More than 300 newly planted trees and shrubs
- A new restroom near the playground
- Relocation of one existing baseball field to the park’s southeast corner
- Two new multipurpose fields
- A new parking lot with access from 22nd Street
- A new irrigation system throughout the park
- New benches alongside the playground
- New grass throughout common areas and sports fields
- New concrete walkways to improve ADA accessibility throughout the park