California State Parks Recommends $45 Million for Land and Water Conservation Funds
Contact:
Newsroom@parks.ca.gov
Program provides communities with resources to meet their recreation needs
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California State Parks today announced recommendations to the National Park Service for $45 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants for 16 local park projects. Funding would provide public and private agencies the ability to acquire land and/or develop recreational amenities such as playgrounds, exercise stations, basketball courts, community gardens, and dog and skate parks.
Cities such as Newman, in Stanislaus County, would receive funding to build a new 78-acre nature park with a pedestrian nature trail with viewing areas and features that include a, nature-themed playground, demonstration pollinator garden, fitness course with exercise stations, plaza, picnic area, and habitat improvements. The city of Perris, in Riverside County, would receive funding to create a new active park with athletic fields and courts, outdoor gym, trails, picnic and plaza areas, skate park, and playground.
“California State Parks is excited about the potential to provide California’s communities with resources to meet their recreation needs,” stated California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “Everyone has a right to the enjoyment and benefits of spending time in the outdoors. The Land and Water Conservation Fund helps provide recreation opportunities for everyone.”
The department evaluated more than $116 million in LWCF funding requests, for the available $45 million in this application cycle. Since 1965, the grant program has provided funding to cities, counties, eligible districts and state agencies to create outdoor recreational resources. State Parks serves an important role as the administrator of the LWCF Program through its Office of Grants and Local Services. Staff work with the National Park Service who administers the program at the federal level. Today’s recommended applicants will proceed with post-selection federal requirements prior to the projects being forwarded to the National Park Service for review and federal funding approval.
“These proposed projects expand opportunities to enjoy the outdoors,” said California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot. “From improving nature trails and picnic areas to restoring habitats, these projects advance partnerships between state, local, and federal governments to improve outdoor access to parks and open space for all Californians.”
The recommended projects (listed by the county and city where projects are located) are:
Alameda County
- Alameda: Estuary Park: $2,500,000 to construct a new basketball court, bankshot court, pickleball court, playground, dog park, picnic area, landscaping, pathway lighting, restroom and parking lot.
- Ashland: Hayward Area R.P.D. East 14th Street Park: $3,997,500 to construct a new trail loop, sensory zone, multi-use active zone, multi-use lawn, community area, play area, restroom, fencing, lighting, landscaping and park entryway.
Fresno County
- Parlier: I.N. Parlier Sports Park: $4,100,000 to construct new softball fields with stadium lighting, playground, pump track, walking and bicycling path, community garden, multi-purpose lawn area, picnic area, shade structure, perimeter fencing, restroom, parking lot, lighting and landscaping throughout park.
Kern County
- Oildale / Bakersfield: North of the River R.P.D. Standard Park: $1,280,475 to construct a new dog park, multi-use sports field, playground, picnic area with shelter, demonstration gardens, irrigation system, and pathway security lighting. Renovate existing walking path, athletic field, basketball court and landscaping throughout the park.
Kings County
- Hanford: Heroes Park: $1,903,395 to construct a new sixteen-court pickleball complex, amphitheater, three multi-use athletic fields, and open space area, two multi-age play structures with shade, 18-hole frisbee disc golf course, skate park, two basketball courts, fitness area, dog park, community garden/learning garden, parking lot with charging stations, and two restrooms, each feature with dedicated lighting.
Los Angeles County
- Carson: Foisia Park: $4,250,000 to construct a new amphitheater, picnic area, exercise stations, pedestrian pathway, baseball and athletic fields, playground, restroom and parking lot.
- Arcadia: Newcastle Park: $2,268,171 to construct a new playground, pickleball courts, par course, walking path, restroom, picnic area, restroom/storage room, lighting and landscaping. Renovate landscaping, tennis courts, and handball courts, and parking lot.
Marin County
- San Rafael: Pickleweed Park: $4,240,000 to construct a new basketball court, playground, fitness area, shade and gazebo structure, lighting, security cameras, landscaping and parking. Renovate multi-use field with synthetic turf and restroom.
Orange County
- Anaheim: River Park: $1,900,000 to construct a new playground area, fitness stations, amphitheater with shade, shaded pavilion and plaza area, picnic areas throughout the park, interactive art and interpretive features, permeable pathways, fencing, and landscaping and lighting throughout the park. Renovate the existing paved pathways.
Riverside County
- Perris: Green Valley Community Park: $5,000,000 to construct new athletic fields and courts, outdoor gym, trails, picnic and plaza areas, skate park, and playground, parking lot, restrooms, maintenance storage facility, and lighting and landscaping throughout the park.
San Mateo County
- South San Francisco: Linden Park: $830,000 to acquire approximately 0.642 acres to create the new Linden Park in the City of South San Francisco.
Sonoma County
- Santa Rosa: Kawana Springs Community Park: $2,909,112 to construct a new dog park, pump track, sport courts, picnic area, playground and tot lot, outdoor fitness stations along loop trail, parking lot, restroom, landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Stanislaus County
- Newman: Newman Nature Park: $4,025,184 to construct a new pedestrian nature trail with shade structure, viewing areas and play/interpretive features along the trail, nature-themed playground, demonstration pollinator garden, fitness course with exercise stations, plaza, picnic area, parking lots, restroom, landscaping throughout the park, and wetland, riparian and grassland habitat improvements.
Tulare County
- Dinuba: Viscaya Park: $2,500,000 to construct a new playground, picnic pavilion, sports courts, walking and jogging path, dog park, outdoor exercise circuit training area, restroom, parking lot, park sign, perimeter fencing and landscaping throughout the park.
- Porterville: Fourth Street Community Park: $367,500 to construct a splash pad, challenge course, mini pitch soccer arena, pump track, and ADA accessible playground, each recreational feature with dedicated shade structures. In addition, construct outdoor exercise stations, kickball wall, picnic shelter, parking lot, and landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Yolo County
- West Sacramento: Heritage Oaks Park: $3,000,000 to construct a new amphitheater, nature play area, water play area, public plaza with picnic pavilion, picnic and gathering areas, skate area, BMX skills course, botanical/demonstration garden, natural turf area, trails including boardwalk through oak grove and pathways with fitness stations, prefabricated restroom, landscaping and lighting throughout park. Expand existing parking lot and renovate existing playground.
Following a National Park Service approval, grantees will participate in a mandatory grant administration workshop, receive grant agreements from OGALS and begin work to complete their projects.
OGALS develops grant programs to provide funding for local, state and nonprofit organization projects. Since 1964, more than 7,400 local parks throughout California have been created or improved from OGALS' grant funding. Since 2000, OGALS has administered approximately $3 billion in grant funding throughout California. For more information, please visit parks.ca.gov/grants or follow the program on Facebook at Facebook.com/caparkgrants.
Four of every 10 Californians have no access to open space within walking distance of their home and six of every 10 Californians live in park-poor neighborhoods. Programs such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund help advance the “Outdoor Access for All” initiative championed by Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the Natural Resources Agency’s “Outdoors for All” initiative. This effort expands outdoor access to all Californians through focused investments in open space infrastructure, outdoor programming, and improvements to permit applications, with a priority to expanding access in underserved communities.
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California State Parks provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation.