Why city hopeful it can land huge grants for revamps of two west, south Modesto parks
Modesto is applying for grants of as much as $17 million to pay for improvements at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mancini parks, two recreation spots that serve communities with many minority and low-income residents.
The city is hoping to get funding of as much as $8.5 million for each park from a California Department of Parks and Recreation program.
Modesto has had success with the program. It was awarded an $8.5 million grant early last year for improvements, including an aquatic center, soccer field, picnic pavilion and plaza for skateboarders, at Cesar Chavez Park in west Modesto.
The city had applied in 2019 for a total of $25.5 million in grants for the three parks and was awarded funding for Cesar Chavez.
City officials have said Modesto is committed to finding the money for park improvements. They also said the California Department of Parks and Recreation has nearly twice as much grant money to award this time around — $395 million versus $255 million in last year’s awards.
“We’d like the community to know we are hopeful and excited,” about the latest grant applications, Modesto Parks, Recreations and Neighborhoods Director Laurie Smith said. The city expects to know whether it will receive state funding in six to nine months.
The grants are from the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program, which provides money for new parks and recreation in underserved communities, according to the California Department of Parks and Recreation website.
The city’s proposed improvements at the three parks are based on five community meetings held in 2019 for each park.
The proposed improvements at Martin Luther King (formerly Mellis) Park in west Modesto include adding a gymnasium to the nearby King-Kennedy Memorial Center and building an events plaza with a stage in the park. The plaza could hold community celebrations and gatherings, such as the annual Juneteenth celebration, which marks the end of slavery in the United States.
The improvements at Mancini Park in south Modesto include three soccer fields, a baseball diamond, two full-court basketball courts, a new restroom and a dog park.
The work at Cesar Chavez Park has been delayed by about a year because of the pandemic. The work is in the design stage, and the city says it hopes the entire project will be completed by spring 2023.
The City Council on Tuesday approved submitting the grant applications for the two parks.
This story was originally published April 11, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
