Santa Clarita offers an array of remarkable amenities that truly set us apart from other communities. One in particular, that I continue to proudly emphasize, is our exceptional parks system which enriches the lives of our residents with an impressive collection of 37 picturesque parks thoughtfully dispersed throughout our various neighborhoods. Designed for a wide range of activities, from playing sports to spending time with family, it is our goal to maintain and improve our Santa Clarita parks.

Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, located in the heart of Santa Clarita, is in the final stages of a Capital Improvement Project, identified as one of the major action items in the city’s five-year strategic plan, SC2025. This is a highly anticipated project and I cannot wait for residents to have the opportunity to enjoy the many amenities being added to one of our communities’ favorite parks.

The first new feature, that is difficult to miss upon entering the southwestern portion of the park, is the massive 172-step exercise staircase that scales a portion of the hill. The progress of the staircase has residents buzzing on social media about how eager they are to conquer it, one step at a time.

Beneath the exercise staircase, you’ll see the extensive construction site with crews hard at work creating four new multi-purpose fields, perfect for sports such as soccer and lacrosse, all illuminated with bright Musco Sports Lighting. To complement the anticipated popularity of the new multi-purpose fields and exercise staircase, as well as future events held at Central Park, a 168-space parking lot is also being constructed, along with a brand-new restroom building.

Between the parking lot and multi-purpose field, an elaborate plaza is in the works, excellent for team meetings and getting together with friends and family, complete with shade structures, picnic benches, greenery and an art component. This plaza ties the area together nicely and will be an incredible addition to Central Park. From there, a new sidewalk and lighted concrete path will be built that leads to the Central Bark Dog Park, which will have new shade canopies, picnic benches and abundant greenery.

Residents have been asking when the Central Park Buildout will be complete and I don’t blame them for their eagerness to enjoy the new features. Due to the landscaping and irrigation, as well as the installation of turf and sod being weather-dependent for proper growth and establishment of its roots, the multi-purpose fields are anticipated to be ready for use by the end of 2023. However, the exercise staircase, parking lot and plaza will be completed by the fall.

Your patience is appreciated during the construction of this expansive Capital Improvement Project. I cannot wait to see our local sports teams and families utilize all of these new features at Central Park.

Ken Striplin is the City Manager for the city of Santa Clarita and can be reached at kstriplin@santa-clarita.com.