Optimistic Merced leaders and excited residents gathered in a sprawling field at the corner of Tyler Road and Mission Avenue on Wednesday morning to celebrate the official groundbreaking of what they presently call “Community Park 42” — the most significant sports and recreation project the city has undertaken in decades.
Merced Mayor Matthew Serratto described the future 37-acre complex in southeast Merced as a “dreamland” for soccer, baseball, softball, youth football, tennis and pickleball activity.
“Kids and families from Merced frequently travel to compete in sporting events, taking with them money that could be circulated within our city,” Serratto said. “CP-42 will attract local, regional, state and someday national tournaments. … We welcome the future revenue boost to our local economy. …. This park will serve as a catalyst to uplift youth, families and residents in our community.”
The project has been in development since the early 2000s when the city purchased the property that was once targeted for a future high school campus. However, huge progress was made in late 2021 when the City Council allocated funding the city received from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that eventually totaled $8.3 million to build out the park in two phases. Construction is expected to be complete in two years. Future development will be funded through partnerships with Merced County and local school districts, as well as state and federal grants.
At complete build, the park will feature six soccer/football fields, tennis and pickleball courts, outdoor basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, picnic pavilions, a concessions and restroom building, on-site parking, a perimeter walking path and an efficient LED lighting system that will create year-round opportunities for users.
Of special note: There will also be a futsal court that’s accessible for people who use wheelchairs (made possible with $650,000 in support from the Merced Office of Education). And the park project also received $350,000 through First 5 of Merced County for inclusive playground areas.
An excited Scott McBride, the city’s director of developmental services, highlighted the proximity of the park to Highway 99.
“While UC Merced continues to draw new development to the north, we aim to balance those new opportunities with the ones this facility will bring to the south,” McBride said. “With proximity between State Route 99 and State Route 59, and the future expansion of Mission Avenue through Measure V, this complex will serve residents and our neighbors along the Central Valley corridor with ease.”
The massive CP-42 project fell into the lap of Chris Jensen when he started his job as Parks and Recreation director about 19 months ago. He told the Times that it’s definitely the biggest project he has been involved with.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity not only for our community, but the region.” he said. “We are really excited with the responsibility to have a regional footprint in the sports arena … including the economic development opportunities, sponsorship opportunities for local businesses, and local opportunities for youth sports to take advantage of these types of amenities in their own backyard.”
One thing that residents are already asking about the park is the name. What’s up with Community Park 42?
Well, that’s just the working title.
City Manager Stephanie Dietz informed the Times that as the project moves forward, city leaders and staff will engage the community in a park naming effort.
Stay tuned. The name will surely one day carry the weight of such local community parks as McNamara and Applegate.