California State Parks has announced recommendations to the National Park Service for $35.6 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund grants for 16 local park projects. Funding would provide public agencies with the ability to acquire land and/or develop recreational amenities such as playgrounds, sports fields and courts, exercise stations, dog and skate parks.

If approved the city of Santa Clarita Via Princessa Park would receive $6 million for the new park that is expected to include four full-sized multipurpose fields, pickleball courts, a shaded plaza/gathering area with seating, shaded nature-themed playground, a natural play area with wooden bridges, shaded picnic shelters, monument signs, walking pathways, signage, bike racks and lighting and landscaping throughout the park.

The city first proposed building the new park in 2022.

Cities such as Santa Ana in Orange County would receive funding to build a new park and construct a shaded playground, exercise area with shade, walking path, a skatepark and half basketball court, picnic area, gathering area, and lighting and landscaping throughout the park. Funding for Chico Area Recreation and Park District in Butte County would help them build a new aquatic park that includes a new competition pool, wading pool with water slides and play equipment, permanent cabanas, shade sails and a parking lot.

State Parks evaluated more than $154 million in LWCF funding requests, for the available $35.6 million in this application cycle. The recommended applicants will proceed with post-selection federal requirements prior to the projects being forwarded to NPS for review and federal funding approval.

Other recommended projects are:

Hayward: Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, D & Clay Streets Neighborhood Park:$1,306,580 to create a new park that will include an approximate 800-foot segment of the paved Foothill Trail, natural play area, open lawn area for sports and games, picnic areas, a bridge, walking paths, resting areas, benches and preservation of Sulphur Creek.
Butte County

Chico: Chico Area Recreation Park District, Chico Aquatic Park: $6 million to create a new competition pool, wading pool with water slides and play equipment, pool decks, cabanas, shade sails, parking, fencing, landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Humboldt County

Eureka: City of Eureka, Grace Marton Memorial Park: $619,989 to create a new playground, game area, picnic areas, drinking fountains, signage, landscaping, extend and renovate the trail and amphitheater.
Kern County

Shafter: Shafter Recreation and Park District, Shafter Community Park: $904,135 to create a new dog park, community garden, fitness course, tennis/pickleball courts, outdoor gym, picnic area, parking lot, restroom, landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Lake County

Cobb: County of Lake, Cobb Community Park Acquisition: $207,500 to acquire approximately 12.88 acres to create the new Cobb Community Park in the town of Cobb.
Los Angeles County

Pico Rivera: City of Pico Rivera, Smith Park Aquatic Center: $6 million to construct a new pool deck, competitive pool lanes, diving board, racing platforms, fixed interactive water features, bleachers with shade structures, turf seating, scoreboard and clock, perimeter fencing, storage and chemical room, and lighting.

Los Angeles: Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Children’s Park Development Project:$1,450,000 to create a new park with play areas with seating, a junior basketball court, stepped seating feature, open space lawn area, tyke track, walkways, lighting and landscaping throughout the park.

Lancaster: City of Lancaster, Avenue J Neighborhood Park: $2,460,097 to create a new drought-tolerant demonstration garden, shaded playground, pedestrian/bike trail with lighting and benches, shaded plaza/picnic area, fitness course with exercise stations, shaded open space area, monument signs, perimeter fencing and landscaping.

Glendora: City of Glendora, South Hills Bike Park Project: $1 million to create a new pump track with jump lines, multiuse trails, downhill bike-only trails, shaded picnic area, bike fix-it stand, trailhead kiosk, signage, restroom and parking lot. Renovate existing access road
Orange County

Santa Ana: City of Santa Ana, 10th and Flower Street New Neighborhood Park: $2,250,000 to create a new park including a playground with shade, exercise area with shade, walking path, skatepark with lighting, half basketball court with lighting, picnic area, gathering area, fencing with landscaping and lighting throughout the park.
Riverside County

Wildomar: City of Wildomar, 27-Acre Park Phase I: $2,837,500 to create a new 1.1-mile hiking trail, bike park, bike plaza, playground, synthetic turf field, shade structure, windmill, fencing, three decomposed granite parking lots with landscaping throughout the park.
Sacramento County

Galt: City of Galt, Walker Park Phase II: $2,650,000 to expand the park by creating three new lighted baseball/softball fields, restrooms, storage building, bleachers, pedestrian connection path, landscaping and parking.
San Bernardino County

Colton: City of Colton, Chavez Park Improvement Project: $1,015,200 to create a shade structure over the playground, new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) walkways/trails and sidewalk for connectivity, landscaping, trees, lighting throughout the park, and six hydration stations. Renovate two tennis courts into a futsal court, playground, and an outdoor fitness circuit with lighting.
San Luis Obispo County

Cambria: Cambria Community Services District, Cambria Skatepark: $600,000 to create a new skatepark facility with a seating section with shade structure, landscaping, parking lot and restroom stall.
Santa Clara County

Milpitas: City of Milpitas, Delano Manongs Dog Park: $301,516 to create a new dog park for large dogs by installing asphalt and decomposed granite, concrete paving, fencing, signage, site furnishings, landscaping and irrigation throughout the park.
Following NPS approval, grantees will participate in a mandatory grant administration workshop, receivegrant contracts from State Parks, and begin work to complete their projects.

Since 1965, this grant program has provided funding to cities, counties, eligible districts and state agencies to create outdoor recreational resources.

State Parks develops grant programs to provide funding for local, state and nonprofit organizationprojects. Since 1964, more than 8,000 local parks throughout California have been created or improvedfrom grant funding. Since 2000, the department has administered approximately $3 billion in grant fundingthroughout California. For more information, please visit parks.ca.gov/grants.