This week Merced County learned it successfully secured a $2.9 million California Clean Grant for O’Banion Park in Dos Palos.
This funding will be used to renovate the park, creating a welcoming green space for Dos Palos residents to exercise, relax, play, and socialize. Amenities will include an outdoor stage, a splash pad, two new picnic shelters, the replacement of 22 picnic tables with new graffiti-resistant tables, a new irrigation system, additional lighting,new trees, benches, and hydration stations.
This funding is complimented by a recent $3 million state budget allocation that was secured by Senator Anna Caballero following a funding request submitted by Merced County. That funding is being used to renovate the on-site Del Hale Hall Community Center and relocate the Dos Palos library branch to O’Banion Park from its current offsite location.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott Silveira, whose District 5 includes Dos Palos, said open spaces are a priority for Merced County.
“The County continues to find success establishing new parks and rehabilitating existing ones,” Silveira said. “And instead of drawing down from our limited General Fund revenues, we’re securing this funding from external grants and earmarks. This is a true win-win scenario.”
Renovations at O’Banion park are being performed in stages. The park’s basketball courts were recently redone, and work is currently underway on Del Hale Hall and the new Library branch building. The next phase will include the aforementioned park amenities.
Other County park projects underway or recently completed are detailed in Merced County’s Annual Report.
