The transformation of Naranja Park is one of the accomplishments I am most proud of during my eight years serving on the Oro Valley Town Council and as your Vice Mayor.
For years, Naranja Park was envisioned as Oro Valley’s central community gathering space, where families could meet, children could play, athletes could compete, and residents of all ages could connect. But despite that vision, progress stalled for years because funding simply was not available.
When I was elected, Naranja Park had only two sports fields, an archery range, and a dog park. There wasn’t even a drinking fountain for parkgoers to use. I knew we could do better for the citizens of Oro Valley: families raising children, grandparents who wanted a place for their grandchildren to go when they visited, and adults of all ages who sought outdoor recreation.
Building a Plan for the Future
One of our first priorities was taking a comprehensive look at Oro Valley’s parks and recreation needs. We undertook an extensive master planning process that evaluated parks and recreation amenities across the entire community. While the full master plan was too costly to implement all at once, it provided the strategic blueprint that guided future improvements at Naranja Park, the Community Center, and our trail and multi-use path system. That planning process allowed us to move forward thoughtfully and responsibly.
Delivering Immediate Improvements
We began by funding something many families had been asking for: a new playground. The playground at Naranja Park was the first new playground Oro Valley had seen in many years and represented an important first step toward making the park a true community destination.
It was only the beginning.
Turning Fiscal Reform into Community Investment
The biggest obstacle to fully building out Naranja Park was funding.
For years, millions of taxpayer dollars had been tied up subsidizing Town golf operations. After being instrumental in directing the successful financial turnaround of the golf courses and bringing the losses under control, I led the effort to restructure the half-cent sales tax that had previously been restricted to golf operations.
With the Town Council majority in agreement, the half-cent sales tax ordinance was revised to allow revenues to support all parks and recreation throughout Oro Valley. That decision made it possible to secure a $25 million bond at an exceptionally low 2.3% interest rate, with only a portion of the half-cent sales tax dedicated to bond payments. The bond paid for both community center improvements and the expansion of Naranja Park. The change in the half-cent sales tax and the low bond interest rate allowed us to create the financial pathway that finally delivered the recreational amenities our residents had been waiting for—all without raising taxes, for a lower total cost than the prior yearly golf losses.
Bringing Naranja Park to Life
The thoughtful way we leveraged the existing half-cent sales tax funding allowed us to move forward with the planned buildout of Naranja Park, creating one of Oro Valley’s most significant community investments.
The expansion included:
- A skate park and pump track
- A splash pad
- Pickleball courts
- An RC Park
- Additional high-quality athletic fields
- Expanded walking paths and trails
- New shaded gathering areas, with even more shade structures planned in the near future
What was once an underdeveloped space has become a vibrant community destination used by residents of all ages.
A Lasting Community Asset
Naranja Park is proof that thoughtful planning and fiscal responsibility can deliver transformational results.
This extraordinary amenity was created without new taxes. It became possible because we solved difficult financial challenges, made smart long-term decisions, and stayed committed to delivering on a vision that residents had been waiting years to see realized.
Today, Naranja Park is more than a park. It is a gathering place for families, a destination for recreation, a driver of community pride, and an asset that helps attract visitors to Oro Valley.
Results That Matter
I have championed Naranja Park for the past 8 years, and I delivered on my commitments as a Town Council person in fixing the golf as promised and bringing increased parks and recreation for all.
As your Mayor, I will continue working to make thoughtful investments that strengthen Oro Valley’s quality of life, while protecting the fiscal responsibility you expect and deserve.
The success of Naranja Park reflects the leadership I bring to Oro Valley: persistence, problem-solving, effective and solution-oriented financial planning, and a commitment to turning long-standing challenges into lasting opportunities.
