Every five years, the city of Santa Clarita publishes a strategic plan based on public input which identifies priorities and plans for enhancing the quality of life for our community.

The current five-year strategic plan, Santa Clarita 2025, more commonly referred to as SC2025, lays out our shared vision for our city’s future and includes a number of planned capital improvement projects that will provide greater opportunities for residents of all ages. A number of these key projects are already underway and it is my pleasure to share updates on their progress.

The very first action item in SC2025, which you can read in full at santa-clarita.com/SC2025, is to complete construction on the Central Park Buildout Project.

This project is anticipated to be complete later this year and will bring four additional full-sized sports fields to Central Park, as well as an additional restroom facility and expanded parking.

Improvements are also being made to the Central Bark dog park and lighted pathways will connect it to the new parking area, which enhances safety for dogs and their owners. One amenity that will give you a whole new view on things is the exercise staircase. The staircase features 172 stairs that presents a challenge as you climb up to the lookout point, partway up the hill, on the southern end of the park.

The Vista Canyon Multi-Modal Transit Center is also nearing completion and will bring a fourth Metrolink station to Santa Clarita, as well as a Santa Clarita Transit bus transfer station. Construction is wrapping up on the Metrolink station, which will soon join the Antelope Valley Line and take riders as far north as Lancaster or as far south as Union Station in Los Angeles.

Once the project is complete, residents in Vista Canyon and the surrounding area will have convenient public transportation options to get anywhere they need to go in Santa Clarita and beyond. Please be on the lookout in upcoming weeks for information on a grand opening event and the start of service at the Vista Canyon Metrolink Station.

A highly anticipated project that is in the preliminary stages is a new roller-skating rink that is being planned for the George A. Caravalho Santa Clarita Sports Complex on Centre Pointe Parkway. The design phase is underway for this new facility, which will be located next to the Sports Complex Gymnasium and outdoor basketball courts. On the current timeline, the roller rink is anticipated to be complete and open to the public by Fall 2024.

These are just a few of the many capital improvement projects underway in Santa Clarita that will benefit our community for generations to come. I encourage you to learn more about these projects and follow their progress by connecting with the city of Santa Clarita on all of our social media pages.

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