The first new public park in more than 30 years on Turlock’s west side is moving closer to becoming a reality.
City, county and state elected officials, along with representatives of the city’s police and fire departments, were joined by about 75 Cunningham Elementary School students on Sept. 28 to celebrate the latest phase of the park’s development.
“The future is bright for our city,” said Mayor Amy Bublak. “From Montana Park construction to our road rehabilitation projects, there is so much to be proud of with these wonderful improvements to our community.”
Once completed, Montana Park, located at 1001 Montana Ave., will be a five-acre oasis that features playground equipment, a fitness area, covered picnic arbors, basketball and pickleball courts, multi-sport courts, a 24-space parking lot, and drought-tolerant landscaping.
“This is a terrific project,” said Stanislaus County District 2 Supervisor Vito Chiesa, who secured $200,000 in discretionary funds to the park. “I think they’re going to have something really spectacular here. It could end up being the best park in all of Turlock. It wouldn’t surprise me."
According to public works director Erik Schulze, the project has an estimated price tag of $2,386,000. And the city received a Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant — part of the 2018 Parks Bond Act — for that precise dollar amount.
In addition, state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil, D-Jackson, secured $435,000 for the project
“It is sort of ‘budget dust’ when it comes to the billions of dollars that we spend here in California,” Alvarado-Gil said of the $435,000. “To me it’s important because, as taxpayers, we always look at where the money is going. And we don’t always agree that it’s going to the right places. But this is money that comes right to community. It benefits all families and kids of all ages. So, when I had heard that west side had not received resources in decades, I knew right away this was the right project to support.”
Turlock City Councilmember Rebecka Monez said the park was particularly important to her District 2 constituents.
“These kids get to make memories here,” said Monez, who grew up in a house on the 400 block of Montana Avenue. “These are my kids. I grew up here. This park is very special to me.”
Bublak echoed those sentiments.
“Folks on the west side haven’t had anything come to them in over 30 years,” said Bublak.”This is their turn to have a place to go, where they can get exercise, feel free and safe, and interact with each other. There are four parts of Turlock, but we are all Turlock.”
