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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – The city of Tucson said Santa Rita Park will not reopen as planned in mid-August, citing a shipping delay for a critical piece of electrical equipment.
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The park, located at East 21st Street and South Third Avenue, has been closed for an $8 million renovation funded by Proposition 407, which voters approved in 2018.
The city estimated the project would take about a year and had targeted a mid-August grand opening.
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Daniel Fleury, who has lived near the park for nearly 30 years, said he remains optimistic about the project despite the setback.
“We’re really excited to have a big investment in our neighborhood,” Fleury said.
Fleury also noted the park has seen safety concerns in recent years, including vehicle thefts and increased homeless activity near the site.
Parks and Recreation spokesperson Sierra Boyer said in a statement that the city anticipated the arrival of a switchgear component during the first week of July but received word the shipment would be delayed into early August.
Boyer added that the shipping date “is a forecast and could change again.”
City of Tucson spokesperson Andy Squire said the switchgear is central to the park’s operations.
“It’s actually one of the main components that drives the entire electrical system for the park,” Squire said. “Without that switchgear, we can’t energize the park, and therefore we cannot test the lighting and the equipment and all the different pieces that are there.”
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The delay also affects community organizations the city is counting on to keep the park active and help deter the return of a large homeless population that was relocated from the site last April ahead of construction.
One of those groups, the Tucson Raiders Youth Football League, said the delay has not significantly disrupted its operations. Vice President Jeremy Conley said the organization is currently practicing at Silverlake Park until Santa Rita reopens.
Squire said the city reached out to affected groups as soon as the delay was confirmed.
“I know that the minute we found out about this, that outreach happened from our parks teams,” Squire said. “We want to make sure that those folks have the opportunity to reset for the couple of weeks that they may have to reprogram their activities.”
The renovation includes a new splash pad, playground, public art mural, restrooms, and walking paths.
The city said it cannot provide an exact reopening date but is targeting early fall.
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