Popular SLO park gets $2.8 million for major upgrades. Here’s what’s coming
A popular downtown San Luis Obispo park with worn facilities received some welcome news this week in the form of a $2.81 million state grant award that will pay for an overhaul and new amenities.
The city was the only agency in SLO County to be awarded funding from a statewide Parks and Recreation grant program, announced Tuesday.
In all, California State Parks is providing $548.3 million in grant funding as part of the Newsom administration’s “California Outdoors for All” program, according to a state website. The program received 468 applications and awarded 112 grant projects.
Emerson Park, originally a school site, hasn’t had any improvements since before SLO’s Parks and Recreation Department moved into the property in 1993, said Greg Avakian, SLO’s Parks and Recreation director.
“The Parks and Recreation Department staff members are extremely excited for our community, and especially the residents surrounding Emerson Park, for the well-needed funding to upgrade the park,” Avakian said in an email.
SLO’s staff will continue the community outreach in the next couple of months as it starts the design process.
The city has several new improvements and upgrades in mind after five community workshops were held in January and February.
“Staff will be reviewing the grant award packet and parameters of the grant in more detail over the next couple of weeks and then will have more official information to provide to the community,” Avakian said.
New park amenities
Avakian said the proposed amenity upgrades include:
▪ Constructing a small dog park with fencing to separate both small and large dog areas
▪ Maintaining a segment of the grass/lawn area for social gathering and fitness classes (such as yoga)
▪ Upgrading and expanding the playground to include both 0-to-5 and 5-to-12 age group amenities.
▪ Including shade areas at multiple locations: dog park, playground, fitness area
▪ Installing a restroom with a solar roof
▪ Installing solar pathway lighting
▪ Upgrading the existing community garden to include an educational garden section
▪ Renovating two bocce ball courts
▪ Renovating and expanding the basketball/multi-purpose court
▪ Updating the blacktop area to include activities and smooth multi-purpose surfaces
▪ Installing decorative perimeter fencing and landscaping throughout the park
▪ Including a new public mural and art mosaics within new design features
Separate from the grant award and related proposed project, the park has a fitness equipment area with a project that’s currently underway and “expected to be complete by the end of December or first part of January.”
This story was originally published December 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
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