ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Families who frequent Naranja Park are getting the one thing many said was missing from the park’s major expansion: shade.
Crews began installing seven shade sails at the park the week of Nov. 3. Six large canopies will cover playground equipment at the North and South Playgrounds, and a seventh will go near the pickleball courts and skate park.
The project costs $248,500 and is being paid for with parks and recreation impact fees, according to the Town of Oro Valley. Impact fees are one-time charges paid on new development to help cover the cost of public facilities that serve a growing community.
The town says the sails are made from durable, UV-resistant fabric designed for Arizona weather.
Some shaded structures already exist at Naranja Park, but none are near the playgrounds, pickleball courts or skate park, where the new sails are going.
When the park’s 23-month expansion wrapped up in 2024, it brought a splash pad, a skate park, pickleball courts and a new entrance off Tangerine Road. At the time, many visitors told KGUN 9 they were disappointed the upgrades didn’t include more shade near those areas, and the town said shade could be a possibility down the road.
Sam Kappel brings his daughter to Naranja Park a couple times a week and calls it his family’s favorite park. But during the hottest months, he said, the lack of shade sends them somewhere else.
“If there’s a little more shade, I’m definitely coming here more often because this is probably our go-to number one park,” Kappel said. “There is a park by our house that we go to because it does have shade. It’s smaller. It doesn’t have the play structures.”
Kappel said that smaller park also draws fewer families, which makes it harder for his child to find other kids to play with.
“It makes me happy as a dad that has kids,” he said of the new shade. “Somewhere that’s going to keep us a little cooler.”
Megan Ayer’s kids are homeschooled, and she said the park is a big part of their physical education. They visit one or two times a week, using the pump track, the playground and the soccer fields.
“Amazing. We’ll be here even more. We love this place. Our only beef was the shade,” Ayer said.
She said summer visits have become a race against the heat.
“In Tucson in the summer, if you’re not out the door by 7 a.m., 8 a.m., you shut it down by the time it’s 10,” Ayer said. Having a shaded spot where her family can take a break and drink water, she said, would take some of that pressure off.
To keep visitors safe, both playgrounds will be closed and surrounded by metal fencing during installation. The town plans to finish the playground areas first, with the goal of reopening them in time for winter break.
The pickleball courts, skate park and pump track will stay open during construction, with soft barrier fencing around the work areas. The full project is expected to be complete by Dec. 31.
Residents with questions about the project can contact Oro Valley Parks and Recreation at 520-229-5050 or recreation@orovalleyaz.gov.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
