By LOREEN BERLIN: Stanton's new Central Park is making great progress.
From July of last year, just seven months down the road from the ground breaking, the city's Central Park is taking shape.
The Skate Park and Community Center building are the most noticeable at this point, with picnic areas close behind, along with the restroom and storage building and bandstand area.
By LOREEN BERLIN: Stanton's new Central Park is making great progress.
From July of last year, just seven months down the road from the ground breaking, the city's Central Park is taking shape.
The Skate Park and Community Center building are the most noticeable at this point, with picnic areas close behind, along with the restroom and storage building and bandstand area.
There will be lawn space, group picnic pavilions, sports fields, basketball half-courts with 10 Musco lights (used in sporting events) to light up the three soccer fields and one baseball field that are set by laser to have the least-possible spill-over of light into surrounding residential homes.
There's a picnic area with shade shelter; a skate plaza, a half-mile exercise walking path around the inside of the park, a splash pad and a playground for 5-12-year olds and 2-5-year olds. The tennis courts have remained on the south part of the park.
In the three picnic areas, each with seating for 20 people, there are going to be prep-sinks, electrical outlets and barbecues; the picnic areas will be covered.
The covered bandstand area is raised above the park, for a great view of the mountains and park.
"This park is going to be a jewel for the city and a truly needed place for children and adults of the community to exercise and play," said Public Works Director Allan Rigg.
City officials say the lack of El Nino, so far, has helped construction at the park to stay on track.
And no general-fund money will be used to construct the much-needed park.
The cost at the outset was projected to be $11.2 million dollars for the 11.5-acre park, funded from a Redevelopment Agency Bond, and a state grant and park-in-lieu fees, meaning it has no impact on the city's General Fund.
The park is planned to open in June, in time for a Summer Concert series — a first for the city — made possible with the larger park. Before, there wasn't an area large enough to hold summer concerts. There are 124 parking places planned.
It's a drought-tolerant and smart park and although when construction began, the park was just flat ground, soil from Huntington Beach has been brought in to create a slight incline, adding visual interest. So, if you look closely, some small seashells can be found in parts of the soil at the park.
"We are about two-thirds of the way from completion," said Rigg. "We plan the grand opening for Saturday, June 25, and have been fortunate with El Nino that it hasn't delayed our construction project very much.”
Riggs said Central Park is under budget and funded solely from restricted money sources.
Entrance to the park is off Western Avenue, where there will be landscaping between the sidewalk and the front fence of the park. There will be an entrance on one side of the park and an exit on the other side, with pedestrian gates on each side of the park.
"There are 20,000 cubic yards of soil, 5 acres of sod was brought in in March and 1 acre of concrete in the park, along with drought-tolerant grass, walkways of decomposed-granite, exercise equipment and a butterfly garden with plants that attract and feed butterflies," said Construction Manager Eric Charlonne. "Every square foot of the park has been successfully planned."
The community center building will have inset panels of mosaic-type tiles that will be of historic nature and decorative photos, with a train on the largest area, stating, "Welcome to Stanton." There will be 10 murals altogether on the buildings.
The annual Stanton Relay for Life cancer walk is planned inside the new park this year, according to Mayor Al Ethans.
Councilman Rigoberto "Rigo" Ramirez, earlier expressed that the park is, "Our community park,” a park that will give kids a place to play, skateboard, join in after-school programs and exercise.
The new Central Park is the site of the former Mary Perez Elementary School and will have a plaque honoring her.
