Adroit Construction gets ready Tuesday at Howard Elementary School Park off Mace Road in Medford for reconstruction.

Starting at the end of July, Howard Elementary School Park will undergo an almost $2.2-million transformation that will include a splash pad and pickleball courts.

Earlier this month, Medford City Council unanimously authorized awarding the contract for the renovation work to Adroit Construction Co. of Ashland.

Adroit was the only company that bid on the project, which is scheduled for completion by Dec. 31, but could be finished as early as fall.

Adroit’s contract is almost $1.4 million, and the remainder includes design and engineering, as well as playground equipment and other park fixtures that will be purchased by the city. Adroit will install the equipment.

The 9-acre park at 286 Mace Road in northwest Medford next to Howard Elementary was built in 1978.

“It’s getting long in the tooth as far as amenities go,” said Rich Rosenthal, Medford parks, reaction and facilities director.

The renovation will include new pickleball courts to replace existing tennis courts, a full basketball court, new play features, a small restroom, two drinking fountains, shade structures, picnic tables, four additional light poles, an enclosed dog run, benches, bicycle parking, a pollinator garden, several dozen new trees, turf restoration and a more efficient irrigation system.

Originally, the park was scheduled for renovation in 2016, but lack of funding has delayed the project.

“It has waited patiently for its time in the sun,” Rosenthal said.

A award grant of $714,300 through the state’s Local Government Grant Program is helping pay for the park.

Howard park serves 871 households and nearly 3,000 residents within a half-mile distance.

Councilor Nick Card said the renovations would be welcome in an area of Medford that has more limited park options.

Card said he was concerned about ongoing maintenance expenses in Medford’s recreational system.

Rosenthal said the renovations at Howard are being made with an eye toward efficiency, such as the new irrigation system.

However, the city did a survey that showed residents wanted restrooms at the parks, which do result in increased maintenance.

“That’s a fairly standard feature,” Rosenthal said. Of the 29 parks in Medford, 23 have restrooms.

Splash pads have also become more common, requiring maintenance that includes replacements of nozzles, pumps and other parts.

Medford has made considerable investments in parks over the past two decades, including Lithia & Driveway Fields in southern Medford and the recently opened Rogue X sports park, which features a large events center and two indoor pools.

Over the past 10 years, Rosenthal said the city has upgraded six parks, including Union, Summerfield, Hawthorne, Kennedy and Bear Creek. Jackson Park, which formerly had an outdoor pool, is being upgraded incrementally, but Rosenthal said he expects it will be the next to undergo major renovations.

Rosenthal said the features going into park renovations are driven by surveys of Medford residents.

Residents near Howard park voiced support for a splash pad, a playground and new restroom.

“Splash pads are very popular and near the top of the list of features that people want,” he said.