Marana is about to be home to the greater Tucson area’s largest public recreation center when the town opens the Marana Aquatic and Recreation Center on Saturday, May 3.
The nearly 100,000-square-foot center at 13455 N. Marana Main St. includes a 12-lane competitive swimming pool, splash pads and slides, indoor basketball courts and a teen room with a computer lab and video games.
“We can’t wait to see the smiling faces as they walk through the door,” said Wayne Barnett, deputy director of Marana Parks and Recreation.
Saturday’s grand opening comes nearly two years after the town broke ground in October 2023.
The rec center is part of the town’s 10-year Parks and Recreation Master Plan, created in response to meetings with residents and surveys that showed 80% of the town’s residents wanted a year-long recreational center.
“They told us this would impact their lives and change their quality of life,” Barnett said on Wednesday, as he led a tour of the sprawling facility.
The $64 million center includes nearly 61,000 square feet of recreation space including basketball courts that could be converted to volleyball and pickleball courts, and nearly 48,000 square feet on the aquatic side that includes the competitive pool and a recreation pool with a small resistance channel for exercising.
In addition to the basketball courts, the first floor of the two-story facility has a childcare center. The second floor has fitness classrooms, a weight and cardio room and a one-tenth of a mile three-lane track.
There also is two multipurpose rooms and a large community room that can accommodate 200 or more guests with an enclosed courtyard.
The cardio room includes treadmill, elliptical gliders and rowing machines. Group fitness rooms will host spin classes, zumba dance and other training programs.
The town’s summer swim team, the Marana Marlins, will compete in the 12-lane pool.
Marana Marlins president Amy Ruiz said the spots for swimmers filled up during registration Tuesday. The team will have 125 swimmers this season. As part of the county swim program, but an independent team, these swimmers pay more than the county’s $20 fee.
For about 10 years, they have swam at the nearby Ora Mae Harn District Park. Now they’ll be participating in home meets at the recreation center.
“Having them be in a practically Olympic sized pool is very special” and that they’re being spoiled with something that’s been a dream for years.
The outdoor pool area has 10 cabanas on the pool deck and areas for food trucks.
Mural timeline of Marana’s roots made by digital artist Ramon Armenta.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony at Marana Aquatic and Recreation Center, located less than half a mile from the Ed Honea Marana Municipal Complex, begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, followed by grand opening festivities from until 3 p.m.
Memberships for residents and non-residents are available through maranaaz.gov.
Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.
