Artist’s rendering of the proposed Dos Palos branch of the Merced County Library.
District 2 Supervisor Josh Pedrozo, District 3 Supervisor Daron McDaniel, Board Chair and District 5 Supervisor Scott Silveira, Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria, Senator Anna Caballero, District 4 Supervisor Lloyd Pareira, Congressman Duarte Field Representative Christan Santos.
Merced County officials joined Senator Anna Caballero to officially break ground on the renovation of the Del Hale Hall Community Center at O’Banion Park in Dos Palos on Aug. 2.
The project is funded by a $3 million state budget allocation that was secured by State Senator Anna Caballero with support from former Assemblyman Adam Gray, and following a funding request submitted by Merced County.
In addition to renovating Del Hale Hall, Merced County also plans to relocate the Dos Palos library branch from its current location at the corner of Golden Gate Avenue and Almond Street to its planned location at O’Banion Park, next to Del Hale Hall. That project is funded through a $2.7 million California State Library grant.
The current Dos Palos library branch was built in 1963 and has major structural and accessibility issues. It is the only library within a 17-mile radius. The new 3,561 square-foot library is “shovel-ready,” and the County hopes to complete construction within two years. It will serve as a location for residents to apply for jobs and benefits, access literacy programs, and learn.
Scott Silveira, the chairman of the Merced County Board of Supervisors and a representative of Dos Palos, has said both funding awards are the culmination of hard work and perseverance by the county and community as a whole.
“This is a major win for the residents in and around Dos Palos, and they certainly deserve it,” Silveira said when the funding was first announced. “I’d like to personally thank California State Librarian Greg Lucas for this grant opportunity, as well as Senator Anna Caballero, whose budget allocation will now be used toward renovating Del Hale Hall — another critically-important community facility.”
Supervisor Lloyd Pareira said this funding is part of a larger effort to bring much-needed upgrades to communities throughout Merced County.
“There are several parks, community facilities, and other types of public infrastructure throughout Merced County that are in need of major upgrades,” Pareira said. “While there may not be enough local resources to complete this work in the immediate term, we’ve made a point of fighting for grant funding, are we’re seeing those efforts pay off significantly.”