By City Manager Ken Striplin

When the City put the Santa Clarita 2020 strategic plan in motion more than five years ago, we knew it was an ambitious undertaking.

Now, we have checked almost all of the items off the list and are in the home stretch for the two landmark projects. The new Canyon Country Community Center and the new Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station will open to the community this year.

At the corner of Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway, the new Community Center will be a hub for engagement, activity and education for residents.

In addition to the classes and programs that will take place inside the actual building, the surrounding active parkland and event space will bring even more opportunities to the community. The nine-acre site will feature meandering walking paths, an event stage, a paved mercado area, a gateway plaza and lush green expanses of grass. As you make your way through the Community Center grounds, you will discover public art pieces at every turn.

From the towering “Communitree” that welcomes residents to the sidewalk poetry and maintenance hole cover art pieces, there is much to discover and appreciate.

Meanwhile, the hard-working men and women of our Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station are eagerly anticipating the move to the new facility on Golden Valley Road. Offering enough space to house all station personnel, plus a vehicle maintenance facility, helipad and plenty of storage – the new station will have everything they need now and into the future. The new Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is a joint project between the City and Los Angeles County. It is expected to be turned over to the Sheriff’s Department in the second half of this year.

These new City amenities will positively impact Santa Clarita for decades to come, and I cannot wait to open them up to our community.