By @Vanessa Gonzales
Member Submitted News
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS RECOMMENDS $35.6M FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUNDS, IN WHICH, CAMBRIA COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT, HAS BEEN SELECTED AS ONE OF SIXTEEN PROJECTS TO PROCEED WITH POST-SELECTION FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS TO CREATE A NEW SKATEPARK FACILITY
On June 1, 2023, General Manager McElhenie submitted the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant application for the Cambria Skatepark Project. In late December, California State Parks announced recommendations to the National Park Service (NPS) for $35.6 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants for 16 local park projects.
Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) has been selected as one of the sixteen projects to proceed with post-selection federal requirements to create a new skatepark facility. State Parks evaluated more than 79 LWCF applications totaling $154 million, for the available $35.6 million in the application cycle. The recommended applicants will proceed with post-selection federal requirements prior to the projects being forwarded to NPS for review and federal funding approval.
This project will develop the vacant asphalt lot and adjacent dirt parking area in Cambria, California, into a skatepark facility. The site for this project has historical significance to the community as it was the location of the original unpermitted skatepark that served many generations of Cambrians. Unfortunately, in the Spring of 2020, the unpermitted skatepark was removed due to safety concerns related to the deteriorated condition of the park. Since then, the community and Skate Cambria have been fundraising to build a new skatepark. On December 9, 2021, the Cambria Board of Directors committed a total funding amount of 178,000 to the Cambria Skatepark project. Additionally, the CCSD applied for and was awarded a grant for $47,500 towards the skate park project from the San Luis Obispo County Tourism Business Improvement District. On September 14, 2023, the Cambria Board of Directors approved the Local Area Grant Funding Agreement with the County of San Luis Obispo on behalf of the SLO County Tourism Business Improvement. Resolution 31-2023 was approved by the Board of Directors on May 18, 2023, which required the CCSD to restrict approximately $843,784 of General Fund Reserves with the grant application. With the acceptance of this grant, the CCSD was able to release $47,500 of the previously restricted General Fund Reserves for the Cambria Skatepark project, which will help fund the bathroom construction at the Cambria Skatepark.
The project will construct approximately 6,000 square feet of undulating concrete deck designed for skateboarding. This area will feature a mix of street and transition features that will support skaters with various interests, abilities, and characteristics that welcome other skatepark-friendly activities like riding scooters, bicycles, roller skates/blades, or even specialty wheelchairs. The development will also include constructing a seating section with a shade structure, landscaping, a parking lot, and a restroom stall.
Building a new skatepark at this location will restore a critical public asset and recreational opportunity lost when the old park was removed and is a high priority for the community of Cambria. Beyond building a skatepark, this project will create a youth-friendly space in Cambria where people of all backgrounds and skill levels can gather and connect.
San Luis Obispo County
- Cambria: Cambria Community Services District, Cambria Skatepark: $600,000 to create a new skatepark facility with a seating section with shade structure, landscaping, parking lot, and restroom stall.
The other recommended projects (listed by the county and city where projects are located) are:
Alameda County
- Hayward: Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, D & Clay Streets Neighborhood Park: $1,306,580 to create a new park that will include an approximate 800-foot segment of the paved Foothill Trail, natural play area, open lawn area for sports and games, picnic areas, a bridge, walking paths, resting areas, benches and preservation of Sulphur Creek.
Butte County
- Chico: Chico Area Recreation Park District, Chico Aquatic Park: $6 million to create a new competition pool, wading pool with water slides and play equipment, pool decks, cabanas, shade sails, parking, fencing, landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Humboldt County
- Eureka: City of Eureka, Grace Marton Memorial Park: $619,989 to create a new playground, game area, picnic areas, drinking fountains, signage, landscaping, extend and renovate the trail and amphitheater.
Kern County
- Shafter: Shafter Recreation and Park District, Shafter Community Park: $904,135 to create a new dog park, community garden, fitness course, tennis/pickleball courts, outdoor gym, picnic area, parking lot, restroom, landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Lake County
- Cobb: County of Lake, Cobb Community Park Acquisition: $207,500 to acquire approximately 12.88 acres to create the new Cobb Community Park in the town of Cobb.
Los Angeles County
- Santa Clarita: City of Santa Clarita, Via Princessa Park: $6 million to create a new park including four full-sized multipurpose fields, pickleball courts, shaded plaza/gathering area with seating, shaded nature themed playground, natural play area with wooden bridges, shaded picnic shelters, monument signs, walking pathways, signage, bike racks, and lighting and landscaping throughout the park.
- Pico Rivera: City of Pico Rivera, Smith Park Aquatic Center: $6 million to construct a new pool deck, competitive pool lanes, diving board, racing platforms, fixed interactive water features, bleachers with shade structures, turf seating, scoreboard and clock, perimeter fencing, storage and chemical room, and lighting.
- Los Angeles: Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Children’s Park Development Project: $1,450,000 to create a new park with play areas with seating, a junior basketball court, stepped seating feature, open space lawn area, tyke track, walkways, lighting and landscaping throughout the park.
- Lancaster: City of Lancaster, Avenue J Neighborhood Park: $2,460,097 to create a new drought-tolerant demonstration garden, shaded playground, pedestrian/bike trail with lighting and benches, shaded plaza/picnic area, fitness course with exercise stations, shaded open space area, monument signs, perimeter fencing and landscaping.
- Glendora: City of Glendora, South Hills Bike Park Project: $1 million to create a new pump track with jump lines, multiuse trails, downhill bike-only trails, shaded picnic area, bike fix-it stand, trailhead kiosk, signage, restroom and parking lot. Renovate existing access road.
Orange County
- Santa Ana: City of Santa Ana,10th and Flower Street New Neighborhood Park: $2,250,000 to create a new park including a playground with shade, exercise area with shade, walking path, skatepark with lighting, half basketball court with lighting, picnic area, gathering area, fencing with landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Riverside County
- Wildomar: City of Wildomar,27-Acre Park Phase I: $2,837,500 to create a new 1.1-mile hiking trail, bike park, bike plaza, playground, synthetic turf field, shade structure, windmill, fencing, three decomposed granite parking lots with landscaping throughout the park.
Sacramento County
- Galt: City of Galt, Walker Park Phase II: $2,650,000to expand the park by creating three new lighted baseball/softball fields, restrooms, storage building, bleachers, pedestrian connection path, landscaping and parking.
San Bernardino County
- Colton: City of Colton, Chavez Park Improvement Project: $1,015,200 to create a shade structure over the playground, new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) walkways/trails and sidewalk for connectivity, landscaping, trees, lighting throughout the park, and six hydration stations. Renovate two tennis courts into a futsal court, playground, and an outdoor fitness circuit with lighting.
Santa Clara County
- Milpitas: City of Milpitas, Delano Manongs Dog Park: $301,516to create a new dog park for large dogs by installing asphalt and decomposed granite, concrete paving, fencing, signage, site furnishings, landscaping and irrigation throughout the park.
Following NPS approval, grantees will participate in a mandatory grant administration workshop, receive grant contracts from State Parks, and begin work to complete their projects.
Since 1965, this grant program has provided funding to cities, counties, eligible districts, and state agencies to create outdoor recreational resources. State Parks develop grant programs to provide funding for local, state, and nonprofit organization projects. Since 1964, more than 8,000 local parks throughout California have been created or improved from grant funding. Since 2000, the department has administered approximately $3 billion in grant funding throughout California.