Politics & Government
Higher Parks Fees Possible In Tucson As Final Public Hearing Approaches
Residents can speak June 9 as Tucson considers parks and recreation fee changes revised after public feedback.
TUCSON, AZ— Residents will have one more chance to weigh in on proposed Parks and Recreation fee increases before the Mayor and Council votes on whether to adopt them.
A public hearing is set for the Mayor and Council meeting beginning at approximately 5:30 p.m. on June 9, at City Hall, 255 W. Alameda St.
Community members will be able to speak out and ask questions during the hearing, officials said.
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The proposal has already gone through several rounds of public input. After a March vote directed the city to issue a formal notice of intent, Tucson Parks and Recreation held multiple public and user group meetings between April 8 and May 17.
The department said it has since reviewed hundreds of comments and adjusted the final proposal based on that feedback.
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The fee changes are part of a broader city effort to better recover the cost of delivering public services and maintain the quality of parks, pools and recreation programs.
Here are the key changes in the revised proposal:
Pickleball fees dropped. The original proposal included user fees for pickleball courts at Morris K. Udall Park. Those have been removed. Instead, the city would enter a Memorandum of Understanding with Tucson Area Pickleball to handle maintenance and fundraising for future investment.
New swim pass options. A Lap Swim Daily Punch Pass would be added alongside the existing monthly pass, giving swimmers more flexibility. The Therapy Pool pass would be eliminated. Both the punch and monthly lap swim passes would take effect Sept. 1, 2026.
Aquatic fitness classes. Rather than moving to full cost recovery immediately, class fees would increase by 15% per year over four years. A class currently priced at $48 would rise to $55.20 on July 1, 2026.
Youth programs. Changes to Summer KIDCO, In Betweeners Club and Learn to Swim would now take effect in January rather than July.
Non-resident surcharge. The surcharge for non-residents would increase from 25% to 50% above the resident rate.
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