South Tucson is a square mile area located just south of downtown. The cultural influence in South Tucson is strong and can be seen in the architecture, local restaurants and colorful murals. Predominantly business and industry, Tucson International Airport is located in this area. Another major attraction is Tucson Electric Park, where fans can watch Tucson’s own minor league baseball team, the Sidewinders.Just down the road is the booming area of Sahuarita (saw wah ree ta), which was incorporated in September 1994. The town encompasses a 30-square-mile area in Pima County. Sharing a southern border with the retirement community of Green Valley, the area offers direct access to Tucson, only 15 miles away, and Mexico via Interstate 19.
Sahuarita is located in the historic Santa Cruz Valley, surrounded by early Spanish missions, frontier outposts and old mines. Tubac, to the south, the oldest Spanish settlement in the southwest, is now an active artist's colony. The San Xavier del Bac Mission and the Tumacacori National Monument are Spanish missions built by the Jesuits in the early 1700's. San Xavier del Bac Mission is located 14 mile north of Sahuarita. It has been known for its peace and natural beauty from the time primitive Hohokam Tribes first settled in the fertile river valley.
Sahuarita is home to Rancho Sahuarita, one of the nation’s most innovative and advanced master planned communities. It includes housing, commercial and development. As of October 2007, approximately 4,000 homes were completed or in various stages of construction. There are 11,680 total units planned in this development.
At the heart of Rancho Sahuarita is the 15,000 sq ft recreation center overlooking a village green and Sahuarita Lake. The Lake is part of Arizona’s Urban Fishing Program and is stocked monthly with fish. It is part of the Town’s Parks & Recreation system and is open to the public.
Club Rancho Sahuarita features a full-service exercise facility, aerobics/dance studio, teen room, sports lounge with televisions and billiards and outdoor sports courts. Sahuarita is home to Arizona's largest private water park; an aquatic paradise offers an eight-lane 25 meter lap pool, spa, water slide and beach entry "big bucket" splash pond.
The Sahuarita School District consists of a main school campus on 135 acres for comprehensive education from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, plus Sopori Elementary school with full-day kindergarten through 5th grade. 4,300 students are currently enrolled in the District. A second kindergarten through 8th grade school opened in January 2007 in with 1,200 students. The District will open a second high school in 2009. Sahuarita schools have an outstanding record of 85% of its students continuing to further their education at universities, community colleges and technical schools.
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