Santa Rita Park

401 E. 22nd St., Tucson AZ 85713
Community Park • 22.2 acres • Ward 5

Grand Reopening Celebration Oct. 2 & 3 

Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, Ward 5 Council Member Selina Barajas, and Tucson Parks and Recreation 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 a food truck, kids' activities, and more. The movie will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The reopening celebrates the completion of a 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 
• A public art installation

The project design team was Westland Resources, with Durazo serving as the project contractor. Funding for the project comes from multiple sources: $5,380,000 from Tucson Delivers Proposition 407, $1,745,000 from the City Framework, $150,000 from the Tohono O'odham Nation Gaming Grant, and $1,225,000 from Impact Fees.

Public Art Project

The Santa Rita Park public art project is part of the City of Tucson's Proposition 407 Parks and Connections Bond initiative, which aims to enhance public spaces and strengthen community connections. Alongside the park's physical improvements, the project includes a permanent public art installation celebrating the history, culture, and people of the Santa Rita neighborhood.

In February 2024, the public art panel selected Tucson artist Oliverio Balcells to lead the project. The panel recognized Balcells' multidisciplinary artistic practice, which includes murals, metalwork, and mosaics, as well as his strong commitment to community engagement.

The public art panel included:

• Selina Barajas
• Bill Du Pont
• Angela Quiroz
• Heather Green
• Megan Noli
• Imelda Cortez
• John Moreno
• Kara Mills
• Penny Buckley
• Rick Schonfeld
• Matt Christman

Throughout the design process, the artist and public art panel met regularly to develop the final concept. The completed artwork includes a mosaic mural and two custom metal benches. Panel members provided feedback on themes, imagery, symbols, and text to help ensure the artwork reflects the stories, history, and values of the Santa Rita community.

A special feature of the mosaic mural includes contributions from students at Borton Elementary School. Fourth- through sixth-grade students, under the guidance of outdoor learning teacher Mikeala Jones, created 2-inch ceramic tiles that form the mural's border. Their participation adds a unique and personal connection between the artwork and the community's youth.

The public artwork complements the park's broader improvements, which include a new splash pad, renovated sports fields and lighting, an updated playground, new restrooms, ramadas, walking paths, and enhanced landscaping.

For additional information about the public art project, visit the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona's Santa Rita Park project page.

Location

401 E. 22nd St., Tucson 85701  View Map

32.207557,-110.963085

401 E. 22nd St. , Tucson 85701

401 E. 22nd St. , Tucson 85701

Santa Rita Park