CITY OF TUCSON TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 9 ON PROPOSED PARKS AND RECREATION FEE UPDATES
The City of Tucson will hold a public hearing on proposed Parks and Recreation rate and fee changes at the Mayor and Council meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, beginning at or around 5:30 p.m. Community members are encouraged to participate and may speak during the public hearing.
Following a vote at the April 7, 2026, Mayor and Council meeting, the City issued a notice of intent (NOI) for proposed rate and fee changes, as required by Arizona Revised Statutes § 9-499.15, for Tucson Parks and Recreation. The department held multiple public and user group meetings from April 8 to May 17, 2026. The department reviewed hundreds of comments received from the community and made adjustments to the final fee proposal up for adoption. Key changes from the original proposal based on community feedback include:
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Eliminating the proposed pickleball user fees at Morris K. Udall Park in favor of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tucson Area Pickleball for maintenance and fundraising for future investment.
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Adding a Lap Swim Daily Punch Pass option in addition to the monthly pass to align with the frequency of use that meets a swimmer’s unique needs.
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Removal of the Therapy Pool pass
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The Lap Swim Pass (punch and monthly) fee will go into effect Sept. 1, 2026. No cost progression will be called out at this time to allow this new program to be evaluated for future fee change recommendations.
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Aquatic-based fitness classes – Instead of the original proposal of 100% cost recovery, the classes will increase by 15% of the current class cost each year for four years. For example, a $48 class in year one will increase by 15% to $55.20 as of July 1, 2026. This will allow those currently taking the classes to better plan for the impact of the increase.
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Summer KIDCO, In Betweeners Club, and Learn to Swim will go into effect in January instead of July.
Tucson Parks and Recreation is proposing updates to its fee schedule to better align user fees with the actual cost of running programs and maintaining parks, pools, and recreation facilities. An internal analysis revealed that many existing fees fall well short of covering those costs. The proposed changes would help reduce the shortfall, support ongoing programming, public use, and add fees for new services, while preserving financial assistance options for residents who need them.
Key Fee Changes at a Glance
All fees below are City of Tucson resident rates. Non-residents are subject to an increased fee. The department is proposing to update its non-resident surcharge from 25% to 50% above the resident fee.
Youth Programs
*These programs are Discount Program eligible.
 Fee schedule table for KIDCO programs showing current fees, new fees, and projected increases through 2029–2030. Programs include KIDCO Summer Camp, In-Betweeners Summer Camp, KIDCO Afterschool, and School's Out Camps. Summer camp fees increase beginning Jan 1, 2027; afterschool and School's Out Camp fees increase beginning July 1, 2026.
Sports
The department wants to provide additional clarity on the proposed Youth Sports Team fee. Currently, youth sports user groups only pay fees related to field lighting or secondary season field use, despite accounting for approximately 80% of all City sports field usage.
The proposed fee would partially recover costs associated with field use and allocation while introducing greater accountability in the field request process. It is also expected to more equitably distribute field allocations each season, where demand consistently exceeds availability, and to reduce recurring complaints about fields sitting unused during peak sports seasons. As part of this proposal, the existing secondary use fee would be eliminated.
 A fee schedule table for five sports programs — Youth Sport Team, Adult Field Rental, Tournament, Field Lining, and Pickleball Courts at Udall Park — showing current fees, new fees beginning July 1, 2026, and projected increases through 2027, 2028, and 2029 where applicable. Notable changes include new per-team seasonal fees, updated field rental rates with a seniors-free option, sport-specific field lining fees, and a proposed managed location fee for Udall Park pickleball courts.
Aquatics
*Learn to Swim programs are Discount Program eligible.
 Table showing aquatics program fee changes. Programs include Learn to Swim, Lap Swim Pass, Aquatics-Based Fitness Classes, Private Learn to Swim Lessons, Exclusive Pool Use, Shared Use Lap Lane Rental, and Swim Meet & Special Event Use. Columns show Current Fee, New Fee (beginning July 1, 2026 or Sept. 1, 2026 or Jan. 1, 2027 depending on program), and fee progression through Jan. 1, 2030 (or July 1, 2029 for some programs).
Other
 A fee schedule table for five programs — Leisure Class, Open Studio Time, Open Area Rental Fee, Holiday Arts and Crafts Vendor Fee, and Golf Course Capital Fee — showing current fees, new fees beginning July 1, 2026, and projected increases through 2027, 2028, and 2029 where applicable.
Expanded Income-Based Discounts
To ensure that cost increases do not price out lower-income families, the department is proposing a new, expanded Discount Program aligned with Tucson Water’s low-income assistance scale. Discounts would apply to all KIDCO, School's Out, In-Betweeners Club, and Learn to Swim programs and are based on Federal Poverty Level (FPL):
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At or below 100% FPL: 80% discount
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At or below 125% FPL: 60% discount
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At or below 150% FPL: 40% discount
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At or below 200% FPL: 20% discount
This would replace the current flat 50% discount at or below 175% FPL, creating a more graduated system that provides greater support to the families who need it most.
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