Major upgrades proposed at 13 sports fields, courts and complexes in Tacoma
These projects are part of the 2026 bond package that goes before voters April 28
Whether its playing catch with a parent, shooting hoops with friends or joining a sports team, athletics are a formative part of childhood.
With a State of Play report showing only 19% of Pierce County youth get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity, it’s more important than ever to make sport courts and fields accessible and inviting.
That’s why Parks Tacoma is investing in sports amenities across the city to ensure people of all ages and abilities can reap the physical and mental benefits of recreation.
Under the proposed bond package that will be on the April 28 ballot, five sports fields would be renovated, two athletic complexes would be significantly upgraded, three multi-sport courts would be resurfaced and two new sport courts added, and design would begin on a new community sports park.
“Recreation isn’t just a pastime – it’s a vital part of living a balanced life,” said Park Board President Matt Mauer. “Sport fields and courts are places where people find moments of joy, strength, resiliency and community connection.”
After all, fun is what drives people to move their bodies. The State of Play report showed 48% of local kids believe the most important thing about sports is to have fun, and 47% do it just to play with their friends.
Here are some of the notable sports projects in the proposed bond package:
- Sports fields: At least five sports fields would be renovated across the city with upgraded natural grass, backstops, fencing, irrigation and draining. Locations may include Jefferson Park, Jane Clark Park, Stewart Heights Park, Vassault Park and Stanley Playfield.
- STAR/South End Recreation & Adventure campus: This athletic complex, which hosts more than 6,000 hours of organized play annually and has the most used Parks Tacoma fields, would be redeveloped. The four baseball fields would be converted from natural grass to multi-purpose synthetic turf fields to allow year-round play, and the existing multi-sport field would receive new synthetic turf. Scoreboards, lighting, restrooms, bleachers, dugouts and a concession stand would also be upgraded.
- Heidelberg Davis Athletic Complex: This sports complex was established in 1955 and is in need of upgrades to the infrastructure, restroom, lighting and fencing. Its fields, along with fields at SERA and Vassault Park, account for 83% of the district’s reserved hours for organized sports play.
- Sport courts: At least three multi-sport courts across the city would be renovated, and two new multi-sport courts would be built. The pickleball/tennis courts at SERA would be completely redone; and the courts for pickleball, tennis, and basketball at Vassault Park and Jefferson Park would be resurfaced. New multi-sport courts would be added at Portland Avenue Park and Peck Community Sports Park.
- Browns Point Community Sports Park: Design would begin on a new community sports park at the Browns Point Elementary School campus. These would become the first publicly accessible sports fields in Northeast Tacoma.
About the 2026 bond
The bond – which would not raise the current tax rate property owners already pay for parks – would invest in neighborhood parks, keep parks open and safe, create community gathering spaces, enhance sports and active lifestyles, and help people connect with nature and wildlife.
If approved by voters in a special election April 28, the bond would generate up to $155 million for more than 100 projects in at least 40 parks, community centers and zoos across Tacoma. The projects would all be started within the next six to eight years.
Learn more about the bond proposal: 2026 Park Bond – Parks Tacoma
Media Contact:
Stacia Glenn, Public Information Officer/Parks Tacoma
[email protected], (253) 345-0948