At its April 15 meeting, the Los Banos Parks and Recreation Commission was given updates on projects in progress, including the fields at the Ag Sports Complex and nine pickleball courts, as well as projects still in the discussion stage, including the Colorado Park.
Parks and Recreation Director Joe Heim gave the report to a quorum of three commissioners: Chair Jeri Blevins, Vice Chair Brad Gargano and John Spevak. Commissioners Sybil Halloran (who was ill) and Luis Castro were unable to attend.
Heim also provided ideas to encourage the commissioners to become more engaged with the Parks and Recreation Department.
Despite some challenges, Heim said, both the fields and the pickleball courts at the Ag Sports Complex are moving forward. He expects that new sod will soon be laid on the fields, followed by six weeks for the grass to take hold. He hopes the fields will be ready for play by the end of June. The pickleball courts should be ready for play in August.
Other projects in progress that should be completed soon are the Sunrise Ranch Park (in the next few weeks) and the Shaunessy Village Park (in early fall).
Discussion about the Colorado Park renovation, one of the most extensive projects the city will undertake, continues to move forward this year, to include more public forums and presentations to the city council.
Heim also talked about other projects which he hoped could be funded in the city’s 2025-26 fiscal year budget. These include lighting for the pickleball courts and solar lighting for the Canal Trail, which has received a boost thanks to a grant of $125,000 the city has received.
Other projects that will be in the discussion stages during the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, include a pump track and a second dog park (on the west side of town), as well as improvements to the Pacheco, Vineyard B and Southpointe Parks. In addition, ADA improvements will be made in many parks in 2025-26, after a review of city parks for ADA compliance was conducted in 2024-2025.
Heim also believes this is the year that commissioners will become more engaged with the Parks and Rec Department. “I think we have five commissioners who are ready and willing to become more involved with the department’s plans,” Heim said. One example is having the department take the commissioners on tours of recently completed parks, including a planned tour in May of the Sunrise Ranch Park.
Other ways in which the commissioners can become more involved include aligning the commission more closely with the goals and objectives of the city council, identifying any gaps they might see in recreation activities and encouraging more recommendations from the commission.
Reviewing recent parks and rec activities, Heim said the April 12 egg hunt at Oliveira Park was a big success. The department staff, helped by many volunteers, filled 35,000 eggs with treats that were then scattered throughout the park for children to find and gather.
During their reports, commissioners thanked Marisol Calderon of the Parks and Recreation Commission for the extensive work she does for the department and for the commission.
The next regularly scheduled quarterly meeting of the Parks and Recreation Commission is set for July 8.
