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Board approves $1.23 million conversion of former Tonalea campus into sports and community site
Summary
The board authorized roughly $1.23 million for construction at 60 E. 8th St. (former Tonalea Elementary) to install sand volleyball courts, turf fields and limited parking; the project will be funded from restricted plant/capital funds and expected to generate rental revenue to offset operating costs.
The Scottsdale Unified School District governing board on Feb. 11 approved an estimated $1.231 million contract with Willmar (Wilman) Construction to convert the former Tonalea Elementary site at 60 E. 8th Street into a sports- and community-focused facility.
Facilities director Dennis (presenting) said the plan — developed with community input dating to 2020 — will install eight sand volleyball courts, turf playing fields suitable for soccer and flag football, an exercise/green area for neighborhood access, and a reduced concrete footprint where existing basketball courts now sit. The administration recommended a $50,000 owner contingency for unforeseen conditions, bringing the total anticipated expenditure to $1,231,247.07.
District staff said the property is flood-irrigated, which imposes some limitations on continuous field use, and the design limits parking to 66 spaces to reduce neighborhood impacts. Staff said the district expects to rent courts and fields to club teams and community groups to generate revenue to offset estimated annual operating costs (staff estimated $50,000–$75,000 per year in additional maintenance and operations costs) and to reach near zero net cost where possible.
Board members asked about community feedback, security and maintenance. Facilities staff said the district held outreach meetings, incorporated neighbor requests (more trees, limited parking and a park-like buffer), and will lock playground-style equipment while leaving a landscaped exercise/green strip available for public use. Administration said building systems (HVAC/light) for the existing building are not part of this contract and would require separate funding or community partnerships.
The motion to authorize the expenditure and owner contingency passed 5–0.
Why it matters: The project repurposes underused district land into athletics and community space with an explicit revenue model; the board authorized the expenditure using restricted plant/capital funds rather than general operating dollars.
