SENATOR UMBERG ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION FOR NEW PARKS IN SANTA ANA

February 26, 2020

Senator Umberg Logo

(Sacramento, CA) – Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana), announced today that the City of Santa Ana would be the recipient of $5.2 million in state funds to build new park spaces.

“The City and communities of Santa Ana hold some of the richest diversity in California, yet they are historically park poor,” noted Senator Umberg. “I am proud that these funds are being delivered to an area that has historically been neglected by the state’s elected officials. I very much look forward to bringing my granddaughter and family to these parks with their official opening.”

According to the ParkScore index, a metric used by The Trust for Public Land, Santa Ana has the second lowest-ranking park system in the State of California (behind Fresno) and is among the worst in the country.

The park funding is coming directly to the City from the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 – Proposition 68 approved by California voters in 2018. Specifically, it be used for the construction of two new parks on currently vacant land:

  1. (Stanford & McFadden) - $3.6 million for a 0.75-acre park which will include a skate area, exercise area, playground, walking loop, open space, and a basketball court.  The project will also incorporate a picnic area and landscaping and lighting throughout.  The City of Santa Ana has contributed $400,000 for a total park construction cost of $4 million.
  2. (Raitt & Myrtle) - $1.6 million for a 1.9-acre park which will include a skate area, exercise area, tot lot, butterfly interpretive garden, walking loop, open space, and a restroom.  The project will also encompass drought-tolerant landscaping, and a picnic area.  The North Orange County Watershed Management Agency has contributed $2.4 million for a total park construction cost of $4 million.

Under the guidelines of Proposition 68 funding, the two parks must be completed within two years.  The full list of California projects granted with this third round of funding can be found at: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=30332

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Senator Thomas J. Umberg represents the 34th Senate District, which includes the cities of Anaheim, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Midway City, Orange, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, and Westminster. Umberg is a retired U.S. Army Colonel, former federal prosecutor, and small businessman. He and his wife, Brigadier General Robin Umberg, USA (ret.), live in Orange County.