TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The City of Tucson is a few weeks into the long-term closure of Santa Rita Park for renovations such as a new splash pad and an upgraded playground.
The $8 million project is an investment in the Southside community, but groups are advocating for more consideration for unhoused people who frequented the park up until recently.
Cars passed by the gated park Monday morning, where the local group Community on Wheels placed signs, water bottles, and prayer ribbons along the fence over the weekend.
"It was to bring awareness of the fact that just because the park is closed doesn't mean that people who lived there suddenly don't exist,” said Riley O'Neill, a group volunteer.
The contractors for the renovation removed the signs and ribbons Monday morning.
"The community there needs prayers and support now. The ribbons were added and tied with intentions of people's names and placed on the fence to represent each of the people who were counted through the city's PIT [Point in Time] count, where people were counted who don't currently have stable housing,” said O'Neill.
The City of Tucson recently celebrated the groundbreaking for the project that has been years in the making.
On April 24, community members shared their excitement about getting upgrades to their park. Still, the organizers explained that the reason for this protest goes beyond that.
"It's not just about the park," said O'Neill. "Things are even worse now that the park has closed. It's getting hot now. People need water. They need access to shade, and then eventually housing.”
A spokesperson with the City of Tucson responded to the overall message.
“Community members are permitted to express themselves. No one with the city would disagree with the idea expressed in the language, and that is why our staff teams continue to work with community partners to ensure that our homeless community members throughout the city are aware of the services and options available to find a way out of homelessness.”
The project is expected to be complete by the summer of 2026.
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Reyna Preciado is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after graduating Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Reyna by emailing reyna.preciado@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, or Twitter.
