Game on Scottsdale: a new era of community play is kicking off at 68th and Oak Street on Dec. 13 at 10 a.m. Join in celebrating the partnership between Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) and DLR Group, Willmeng Construction, and Bowman to transform the former Tonalea Elementary School site into the new 68th and Oak Street Athletic Facility.
To celebrate this exciting milestone, SUSD will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony later this month. The district invites the community to come out, celebrate, and explore the new facility.
“For years we have been engaging in conversations with the local community about the former site of Tonalea Elementary School,” says Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel. “The result of the intentional conversations, led by Dennis Roehler, is an amazing community asset with soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, and other amenities that reflect the community values and desires. We are grateful for the organizations who worked with us to make this project a success.”
The 68th and Oak Street Athletic Facility provides SUSD with a much-needed athletic resource, giving students opportunities to learn, play, and thrive in a healthy environment. The revitalized site serves as both a gateway to the neighborhood and a hub for community connection. Its strategic location enables it to serve multiple Scottsdale schools, while also offering facilities, such as sand volleyball courts, that the district previously had to rent.
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with the Scottsdale Unified School District to bring new life to the former Tonalea campus, a site the community has waited years to see reimagined,” says Willmeng Construction Director of Business Development James Crean. “This project represents much more than new athletic fields; it’s the renewal of a long-vacant space into something vibrant, safe, and beneficial for everyone in South Scottsdale. It’s about creating a lasting resource that will serve students, families, and the community for generations to come.”
“This facility is a wonderful asset for Scottsdale students and the larger community, it is a perfect cost-effective solution to give a vacant site a new life,” said DLR Group Senior Principal and K-12 Education Leader Carmen Wyckoff, AIA, LEED AP.
Serving SUSD students, the new facility features eight competition sand volleyball courts and refreshed original ball fields. With solar-powered LED lighting throughout the athletic fields and parking area, the project offers a sustainable and energy-efficient design. The facility also includes community amenities such as a playground, walking path, and calisthenic pods where visitors can stop, stretch, and enjoy the new space.