Celebrating 10 Years of the Oro Valley Community and Recreation Center

Published on May 06, 2025

ORO VALLEY, Ariz. (May 6, 2025) — Ten years ago, the Town of Oro Valley made a bold investment in community wellness and recreation by acquiring the El Conquistador Country Club and transforming it into what is now the Oro Valley Community and Recreation Center, located at 10555 N La Cañada Drive. Today, this facility stands as one of the Town’s most beloved amenities, offering residents of all ages a place to play, gather, learn, and thrive.

“What began as a promise to create something meaningful for generations has become a cornerstone of community pride,” said Oro Valley Mayor Joe Winfield. “This Center’s continued success is a testament to its inclusive spirit, its relevance across all age groups and the people who’ve helped shape it—from Council and staff to facility members, residents and guests.”

Thanks to the vision of Town Councils past and present, and the continued support of residents, the Community and Recreation Center has blossomed into an inclusive, multi-generational hub that has become a vital part of daily life in Oro Valley. Offerings range from top-tier fitness equipment and group classes to a thriving golf, pickleball and tennis scene. Seniors benefit from wellness programs like Renew Active, Silver&Fit, and SilverSneakers, while youth enjoy enriching summer camps and recreational opportunities.

A decade of growth and successes

The journey began in December 2014, when Oro Valley Town Council voted to acquire the El Conquistador Country Club property and 36 holes of golf at 10555 N La Cañada Drive, and the 9-hole Pusch Ridge Golf Course and 16 tennis courts located at 10000 N. Oracle Road. The official transfer occurred in May 2015, marked by a grand opening celebration.

In its first year, the Town revamped the fitness lobby and reopened the Overlook restaurant. Community Center summer camps began in 2015, offering parents even more options for quality youth programming. By 2022, the Center’s summer camp was serving 130 campers per week for nine weeks, meeting the ever-growing needs of Oro Valley families.

Over the years, key improvements have solidified the facility as a community mainstay and year-round destination for wellness and connection. Those improvements include expanded parking, modernized recreation software, pedestrian access improvements, major equipment upgrades, and most recently, a reconfigured entryway and elevator installation.

Since its opening, the Oro Valley Community and Recreation Center has experienced remarkable growth. Membership has risen from approximately 1,100 in 2015 to more than 4,180 as of May 2025. In January of this year, the Center celebrated a major milestone: more than one million total check-ins.

On the golf side, the number of memberships and rounds played has grown to a point where golf operations are now self-sustaining, with reliance on the half-cent sales tax enacted in 2015 only needed for operating capital and large capital expenditures. The half-cent sales tax was originally intended to support the Community Center and golf operations. The current success is due in large part to course management by Indigo Sports.

With the success of El Conquistador Golf, Town Council was later able to expand the use of that half-cent sales tax to support other parks and recreation facility or program improvements, such as expansion of the multi-use path system and new amenities at Naranja Park.

Over at the 9-hole Pusch Ridge Golf Course, things are going exceptionally well, thanks—in part—to the support of the community-driven Friends of Pusch Ridge Golf. Since its reopening in 2021, Pusch Ridge has hosted more than 67,000 total rounds, including a record-breaking 19,819 rounds in the 2023–24 season, and we’re expecting to break that record this season.

El Conquistador Tennis membership and programming has remained strong over the past decade, thanks to the leadership of Tennis Director Jennifer Fuchs.

All of these successes, and more (see full list below), reflect a commitment not only to maintaining the facility, but also to continuously improving it to meet the growing needs of residents. As the Town celebrates this milestone, we also express our deepest gratitude to the Oro Valley community for its support and patronage of this beloved facility over the past ten years.

Watch this special video of long-time facility staff reflecting on their experiences.

OV Community and Recreation Center’s 10-year timeline

Dec. 2014: Town council votes to acquire El Conquistador Country Club, 36 holes of golf and related properties, to include 9 holes of golf at Pusch Ridge and 16 tennis courts.
March 2015: Town Council approves half-cent sales tax to fund Community Center operations and improvements.
May 2015: Town officially takes ownership; holds grand opening celebration.
July 2015: Town assumes direct management of the Community Center fitness amenities and programming. Troon continues golf, tennis, and food operations.
Summer 2015: Expanded Town’s summer camp offerings at the Community Center, serving more families than ever before.
Fall 2015: Community Center fitness lobby and Overlook restaurant renovated and reopened.
Nov 2015: Parks & Recreation administrative offices relocate to the Community Center.
June 2017: Town launches elcongolf.com, a new website for golf, tennis, and the Overlook restaurant.

Spring 2018: Traffic signal installed at Community Center entrance.

Spring 2019: Small pool filled in and converted into youth programming space.
Summer 2019: New recreation software (CivicRec) launched for enhanced online registration.
2020: Indigo Sports takes over management of all three golf courses.
Oct. 2020: Community Center reopens after COVID-19 closure.
Fall 2020: Online reservation system implemented to manage capacity.
May 2021: Town Council issues $25M bond for Parks and Recreation improvements, including the Community Center.
Winter 2022: Locker room and hallway flooring replaced with durable material.
Spring 2022: Treadmills relocated, and circuit training equipment installed.
Summer 2022: Summer camps at the Community Center continue to grow, expanding to accommodate 130 total campers per week throughout the summer.
Summer 2022: Renew Active program launched for seniors 65+.
June 2022: Town Golf operations break even for the first time. While capital improvements continue to be supported through half-cent sales tax investments, this operational shift marks a major step toward long-term sustainability.
Fall 2022: Additional pickleball courts added and tennis courts reconstructed.
Fall 2022: Former café downstairs converted into stretching area for fitness use.
Fall 2022 & 2023: Replacement of the irrigation systems on both 18-hole golf courses. Upgrades included new piping, sprinkler systems, controls, communication lines and segments of the cart path.
Winter 2023: Silver&Fit program launched for seniors 65+.
Spring 2023: All strength training equipment replaced.
Summer 2023: Racquetball court converted into recreation lounge.
Summer 2023: Parking lot expansion and reconfiguration (130 additional spaces).

June 2023: Disc golf opens at Pusch Ridge Golf Course. Oro Valley hosts 2022 & 2023 Disc Golf Pro Tour All-Star tournament. Nikko Locastro's 536' Ace makes SportsCenter “Top 10.”

Fall 2023: Fire alarm system upgraded for improved safety.
Winter 2024: SilverSneakers program launched for seniors 65+.
Spring 2024: Shade structures installed near Community Center pickleball courts.
Fall 2024: New 44-ft bridge installed on Hole #7 at Pusch Ridge Golf Course.
Winter 2025: Sunset Room renovated with new flooring and window shades.
March 2025: Community Center entryway reconfigured, and new elevator installed.

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