State Park Bond Measure Authored By Garcia Delivers on Park Equity Promise
(Coachella, CA) – After concerted legislative and local advocacy, Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) is proud to announce over $44 million for parks throughout the 56th Assembly District. This momentous funding allocation for park projects in the Coachella Valley and Imperial County was made possible through Proposition 68, State of California Parks and Water Bond 2018, authored by Assemblymember Garcia (SB 5, 2017).
On December 8, the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) released their latest list of successful grants, including significant awards for Calipatria, Cathedral City, Coachella, El Centro, Indio, Thermal, and Heber. The SPP is the largest park-related grant program in California’s history and possibly U.S. history. Investments for parks and access to safe, outdoor recreational spaces have been a priority for Garcia since he arrived in Sacramento. The Assemblymember dedicated years soliciting feedback from his district and organizing coalitions of statewide support to create equitable funding opportunities for underserved, park-poor areas, like those in the communities he serves.
“We are proud to deliver this historic $44.2 million investment for park projects across our district. Increasing access to parks and safe recreational spaces has the power to transform and uplift our communities. We appreciate all our local municipalities for applying and staying persistent with us throughout this process. These dollars will significantly impact and hopefully spark joy for our Imperial County and the Coachella Valley families. Parks are the gifts that keep on giving with benefits ranging from health, public safety, education and so much more. We celebrate this victory, but remain focused on what comes next and how we can bring even more resources to our district,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, joint author of Proposition 68 and Chair of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife.
“Our work with Proposition 68 created the largest California funding opportunity prioritizing parks in our most underserved communities. Our intention was to create an equitable funding source and to ensure that areas like those in our district were invested in. After years of laying the legislative groundwork and collaborating with regional leaders, we are beyond humbled to deliver on our park equity promise to our constituents.”
The 56th Assembly District proved quite competitive in the SPP Round 4 grant. Statewide, 468 project applications were submitted requesting $2.42 billion for the available $548.3 million. Last year, the 56th Assembly District received $15 million from the program for Mecca, Calexico, and Heber.
Assembly District 56 SPP Grant Award Summary:
City of Calipatria — Calipatria Community Center Park $7,000,000
Create the new Community Center Park in the City of Calipatria. Construct a new community center, community garden, splash pad, picnic areas with gazebos, a playground/tot lot, and a parking lot with lighting, with landscaping and fencing throughout the park.
City of Cathedral City — Dream Homes Park $8,498,000
Create the new 7.52-acre Dream Homes park in Cathedral City. Construct two new playgrounds with shade, soccer/multi-use field, soccer field, futsal field with lighting, two basketball courts with lighting, fitness station with shade, central plaza, dog park with small and large dog areas, five covered picnic/BBQ areas, walking trails, restroom, two parking lots with lighting, perimeter fencing, with lighting and landscaping throughout the park.
City of Coachella — Central Park $8,454,600
Create the new Central Park in the city of Coachella. Acquire 4.7 acres. Construct a new playground with shade, splash pad, multi-purpose pavilion with restrooms, walking path, botanical/community garden, multi-purpose court, fitness area with shade, three picnic areas with shade and BBQ's, multi-use field, perimeter fence, with lighting and landscaping throughout the park.
City of El Centro — Gomez Park Improvement Project $5,700,000
Improve Gomez Park in the City of El Centro. Construct 3 inclusive playgrounds (2-5 play area, 5-12 play area, and zip track), a multi-sport field, 2 multi-sport courts, a fitness area, a walking path with exercise stations, an amphitheater, a picnic ramada, a restroom facility with concession stand, and a parking lot and access road, with new landscaping and lighting throughout the park. Renovate the existing parking lot.
City of Indio — Indio New Sports Park $8,500,000
Create the new 31-acre Indio Sports Park in the city of Indio. Construct two baseball fields with lighting, four soccer fields with lighting, one football field, seven open play fields with lighting, parking lot with lighting, restroom/concessions building, eight shade structures on sports fields, two shade structures, five picnic areas with shade, public art, walking pathways with lighting, with landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Desert Recreation District — Thermal Park Project $4,500,000
Create the new Thermal Park in the town of Thermal. Acquire approximately 5 acres. Construct a new playground, jungle gym, tennis courts, basketball court, baseball field, soccer field, three picnic areas, splash pad, garden, lighting throughout the park, restroom with snack bar, and landscaping throughout the park.
Heber PUD — Correll Park $1,579,566
Create the new Correll Park in Heber. Construct a playground with shade, three basketball courts, a walkway with lighting, and a bio retention basin, with landscaping and fencing throughout the park. Renovate the existing retention basin.
