A new era of community play is officially underway in South Scottsdale. Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD), in partnership with DLR Group, Willmeng Construction, and Bowman, has proudly opened the 68th and Oak Street Athletic Facility, transforming the former Tonalea Elementary School site into a vibrant hub for students and the surrounding community.
The facility officially opened following a ribbon-cutting celebration held on Saturday, December 13, marking the culmination of years of planning, collaboration, and intentional community engagement. What was once a long-vacant site is now a dynamic space designed to support student athletics, promote healthy lifestyles, and strengthen neighborhood connections.
“For years, we have been engaging in conversations with the local community about the future of the former Tonalea Elementary School site,” said Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel. “The result of those intentional conversations, led by Dennis Roehler, is an incredible community asset with soccer fields, sand volleyball courts, and amenities that truly reflect community values and desires. We are grateful to our partners who helped bring this vision to life.”
The 68th and Oak Street Athletic Facility provides SUSD with a much-needed athletic resource, expanding opportunities for students to learn, play, and thrive in a healthy environment. Its central location allows it to serve multiple Scottsdale schools, while also offering amenities, such as sand volleyball courts, that the district previously had to rent off-site.
The project would not have been possible without strong partnerships and a shared commitment to reimagining the space for the benefit of students and families.
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Scottsdale Unified School District to bring new life to the former Tonalea campus,” said James Crean, Director of Business Development for Willmeng Construction. “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 a lasting resource that will serve students, families, and the community for generations.”
“This facility is a wonderful asset for Scottsdale students and the larger community,” added Carmen Wyckoff, Senior Principal and K–12 Education Leader at DLR Group. “It’s a cost-effective and thoughtful solution that gives new purpose to a vacant site while supporting student wellness and community use.”
Designed with sustainability and accessibility in mind, the facility features eight competition sand volleyball courts, refreshed original ball fields, and solar-powered LED lighting throughout the athletic fields and parking areas. Community-focused amenities, including a playground, walking path, and calisthenic pods, invite residents to gather, stay active, and enjoy the space together.
Now officially open, the 68th and Oak Street Athletic Facility stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when schools, partners, and the community work together. Through collaboration and shared vision, SUSD and its partners have created not just an athletic complex, but a welcoming destination where students and neighbors can connect, play, and thrive.
68th Street Multi-Purpose Athletic Facility
Looking forward into May, the construction of the sand volleyball courts will continue, as well as the walking/exercise path. The ornamental iron fencing will come down, be repainted, and be reinstalled in its new location pushed back away from the parking lot. Anticipated project completion remains to be mid-July.
Capital Planning
We still want to hear from you ‒ all of you! The district’s Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) efforts are complete, and we would like to start sharing information with our teachers, students, parents and community. Knowing that the school year is ending and that there are so many activities to participate in, efforts to get out and into our schools to speak with everyone will continue through the summer and ramp up in earnest in the fall, when our students return to our campuses.
We want to know what is important about your facilities. How can we make them better, healthier, safer, and the best learning and working environments for our students and our teachers? Please keep an eye out for upcoming events to learn more about the Capital Planning Process and opportunities to provide your feedback.
68th Street Multi-Purpose Athletic Facility: Ready, set, DIG …
On February 11th, the Scottsdale Unified School District’s Governing Board authorized the administration to move forward with the construction of the 68th Street (Old Tonalea) Multi-Purpose Athletic Facility. Our designers, DLR Architects, and our contractor, Willmeng Construction, have put the final touches on the construction planning. With dust control permit in hand, Willmeng will begin the dirt work portion of the project: preparing the area where the volleyball courts will be located and digging out the area where the stormwater retention area will be. Ready, set, DIG … both a volleyball and a construction reference!
April 1st (no fooling!) will be our first day of construction activities on the 68th Street property. We anticipate a 16-week construction schedule, which means we should be wrapping the first phase of this project the 3rdweek of July. Feel free to follow the project’s progress on the Facilities Department’s website.
Facility Rentals
Over the years, many of our PTOs/PTAs/APTs, boosters, coaches, and community members have interacted with Lisa Marcarelli. When it came to facility rentals, she was the ONE! Effective April 3rd, Lisa is kicking up her heels and calling it a wrap. After years of dedicated service to SUSD and the SUSD Community, Lisa will be retiring from her Facility Rentals position. With this transition we are making only one significant change. Moving forward, all email communications must be directed to Facility Rentals at facilityrentals@susd.org.
Thank you, Lisa, for your time, talents, and treasures. You will be missed.
Capital Planning Hits the Road Soon!
We want to hear from you ‒ all of you! The district’s Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) efforts are nearly complete, and we would like to start sharing information with our teachers, students, parents and community. We recently shared with Scottsdale Parent Council and the Student Advisory Board that we would like to take our Capital Planning roadshow to the people.
School, by school, learning community by learning community, we want to hear from each of you. We want to know what is important about your facilities. How can we make them better, healthier, safer, and the best learning and working environments for our students and our teachers? Please keep an eye out for upcoming events to learn more about the Capital Planning Process and opportunities to provide your feedback.
68th Street – Multi-Purpose Athletic Facility
After months of planning and design and two community meetings, Phase I of this project will go before the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board for consideration on February 11 at 6 p.m. at Coronado High School. The scope of work for Phase I will include but not be limited to parking lot improvements, storm water management improvements, eight new sand volleyball courts, a walking/exercise path, and natural turf improvements. The roof of the building has been replaced, and the exterior of the building has already been painted.
Capital Planning in Process
In October 2024, the Scottsdale Unified School District’s Governing Board approved the expenditure to conduct a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) for all district buildings. This assessment will help us build a 10-year Capital Plan. This assessment will identify all SUSD building systems needs, such roofing, painting, flooring, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and restroom improvements. What this assessment won’t provide for us are the enhancements that our students, staff, parents, and community would like to see for our school buildings.
In the coming months, the Administration will be creating opportunities - both during the school day and in the evenings - to meet with as many of our stakeholders as we possibly can. These opportunities will be used to provide information and solicit input about our District’s facilities. Please stay tuned … we look forward to hearing from all of our District’s stakeholders.
68th Street Property Update
SUSD Building Services is working with Phoenix-based Willmeng Construction, Tempe civil engineering firm Bowman and architects from the DLR Group to bring new life and purpose to the former Tonalea Elementary School site at 68th Street and Oak in south Scottsdale.
The preliminary plan for the multi-purpose recreational, athletic and community project was shared at a Nov. 19 public meeting at Coronado High School, attended by about 25 interested citizens. Building Services Director Dennis Roehler reviewed the estimated $1.2 million proposal for the audience. The project would be paid for with revenue SUSD receives from facility rentals. The proposal will head to the SUSD Governing Board for approval in early 2025.
Take a look at the project here - PDF.
PTO Project @ Desert Mountain
Building Services recently assisted the Desert Mountain High School PTO in upgrading the school’s outdoor reflection area. The idea for the project came from DM’s former principal, Dr. Lisa Hirsch, and was completed by Dennis Roehler’s outstanding Facilities team.
The bench bears a comforting inscription from American poet Isla Paschal Richardson:
If I should ever leave you ...
Grieve not / Nor Speak of me with tears,
But laugh & talk of me
as if I were beside you there...
Thank you, DMHS PTO and Building Services, for providing a lovely space where our Wolves can catch their breath and take a break from their busy lives for a few moments when they need it.
