Recreation Park, an important piece of our City’s history, contains many facilities and amenities for community use. Thanks to the Clean California Local Grant Program, the City of Visalia is afforded the opportunity to apply for grant funding to enhance Recreation Park.

Take the Rec Park Enhancement Project - Clean California Local Grant Survey Now

Titled the Recreation Park Enhancement Project, we need your feedback on how you use (or don’t use) Recreation Park and how we can better shape our grant application to best serve our community.

What is the Clean CA Local Grant Program?

The Clean California Local Grant Program, established by Assembly Bill 149, is part of the Clean California initiative to:

• Reduce the amount of litter and debris in public spaces
• Enhance and beautify public spaces and mitigate the urban heat island effect
• Improve public spaces for walking and recreation
• Benefit underserved communities

To be awarded grant funding, the City of Visalia must submit potential projects to be reviewed and scored. It is important to note that the grant, if awarded, may not be used to displace those experiencing homelessness.

More information can be found on the grant’s website: https://cleancalifornia.dot.ca.gov/local-grants.

Potential Project Site

Recreation Park contains many facilities and amenities for community use and recreation such as the Anthony Community Center and Gymnasium, Provident Skate Park, Rawhide Baseball Stadium, ADA accessible playground, basketball courts, pickleball courts, and picnic tables.

With this new grant opportunity, the City intends to submit the Recreation Park Enhancement Project as a candidate project to receive grant funding. Although there is an existing parking lot project in the area, the Recreation Park Enhancement Project will include additional infrastructure improvements to the surrounding areas of Recreation Park if grant funding is awarded.

The Recreation Park Enhancement Project, as depicted above, may include the following additional improvements:

• Additional Parking Lot 1 (Northwest of Dudley Street and the Alley)
• Additional Parking Lot 2 (Southwest of Oak Avenue and Giddings Street)
• Alley Improvements
• Sidewalk Improvements
• Concrete Art Walkway & Mural Walls
• Recreation Park Shade Structures
• Bike Route Connection (Goshen Trail to Recreation Park)
• Outdoor Venue (Not pictured)

Goals of Improvements

As a result of a frequent accumulation of trash and debris in the area, the surrounding park areas appear blighted and unappealing. Through the Recreation Park Enhancement Project, the area will receive additional public visibility, lighting, and improved aesthetics via additional infrastructure and landscaping that will discourage littering and encourage more residents to make use of the area. 

Additional Parking Lots

• Improve access to Recreation Park
• Increase availability of off-street parking for both Recreation Park and Downtown Visalia
• Implement green infrastructure such as bioswales and solar lighting

Sidewalk Improvements

• Provide a multipurpose path to connect the new parking lots and the main playground area of Recreation Park

Concrete Art Walkway & Mural Walls

• Develop the visual character of the City of Visalia

Recreation Park Shade Structures

• Protect playground users

Bike Route Connection

• Connects Goshen Trail to Recreation Park to improve access to Recreation Park and Downtown Visalia
• Provide a safe bike route on Giddings Street as part of the City's master bike route plan

Thank you for being an important part of this public feedback process.

For more information or questions about the grant application process, please contact Casey Chu, Assistant Engineer at (559) 713-4491 or [email protected].