Funding Proposed to Improve Park

After an expensive plan to overhaul Las Palmas Park was scrapped by the City Council, park officials in San Fernando say they have a new, more salable way to make improvements.

If the new proposal is approved by the council, the city could spend about $335,000 to improve two baseball fields, build a picnic area and replace existing restrooms with a larger concession and restroom structure, according to a consultant’s report.

The improvements are only the first phase of a proposed $3.1-million overhaul of the 7.7-acre park, the city’s second most popular recreation area, located in the northwest corner of San Fernando.

To pay for the first phase, San Fernando hopes to use $170,000 from Proposition A park improvement funding approved by voters this year. Another $59,000 would come from a state bond grant for parks.

Besides the new funding, the city also plans to use $150,000 in community development block grants it already has available for such purposes.

All of the grant or bond money already is tentatively earmarked for the city, but the council must submit formal and specific requests, said Jess Margarito, director of the city’s Recreation and Community Services Department.

“We have the money here up to $335,000,” Margarito said. “It’s the future improvements that are speculative and competitive, and that amounts to $2.8 million.”

City reports show the grants would more than pay for first-phase improvements.

The council is slated to discuss the proposal and grant requests Monday at its 7 p.m. meeting.