Parks and Recreation Masterplan

The City of Tucson Parks and Recreation Department provides a variety of parks, recreation facilities, and program experiences throughout the community. Programs are developed and maintained to the highest quality, ensuring a safe environment with exceptional service resulting in the development of lifetime customers. Services demonstrate a positive economic investment through partnerships with other service providers, both public and private, ensuring a high quality of life for Tucsonans of all ages and abilities.

The department is responsible for the operation and maintenance of 132 parks, 18 recreation centers, 20 swimming pools, 12 splash pads, 3 tennis centers, 3 urban fishing lakes, nature trails, 190 sports fields, open space and undeveloped properties, special places, and hundreds of programs, including large special events that are offered throughout the year. The City of Tucson is comprised of 236 square miles and has a population of 559,000 residents, serving a metropolitan region over 1,000,000 people. The department also manages contracts with the nationally accredited Reid Park Zoo and five (5) city-owned public golf courses.

The Tucson Parks and Recreation Department has made a conscious effort to support and preserve Tucson's rich, multi-cultural heritage. The community's legacy is shown through its historic buildings and neighborhoods as well as the wealth of archaeological resources that provide information about cultures of the past. The department has created several parks and special places that celebrate Tucson's rich history.

The City of Tucson continues to see steady residential and business growth, increasing demand on park and recreation facilities. From 2025 through 2035, residential population growth is expected to continue at .5% per year, resulting in 22,600 new residents in Tucson.

The City of Tucson last adopted a park system master plan in 2016 which laid the groundwork for the successful passage of Proposition 407, the Parks and Connections bond, in 2018. The bond resulted in $133,300,000 commitment to parks and golf facilities and $91,700,000 commitment to greenways and connection projects. The bond passage resulted in significant investment to address deferred maintenance issues and to further implement park master plans. The scope of work from the 2018 bond will be completed in 2028.