It marks the completion of the first-ever cycle of three competitive grant programs from Measure A, a parcel tax that was passed by voters in 2016.
Palmdale was awarded a $1 million Regional Recreation Facilities, Multi-Use Trails and Accessibility grant for the Marie Kerr Park Pool facility expansion. The funds will be used to expand the pool deck capacity for bleachers and gatherings, add additional entrance and exit routes, provide ADA compatibility, and improve connectivity to the adjacent recreation center.
Additionally, the City received another $1 million in funding under the City Natural Lands, Local Beaches, Water Conservation and Protection grant which is being earmarked for Amargosa Creek Trail enhancements. The project will improve the trail, establish trailheads, and add amenities, such as tables, educational signage, fitness equipment, and bicycle repair infrastructure. It will also include planting native drought tolerant vegetation to sequester greenhouse gasses and reduce a heat island effect.
“These grants are important as we continue to improve our City’s parks and amenities to enhance the overall quality of life for our residents,” said Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer. “Council has asked staff to seek out these opportunities and they did an outstanding job of identifying our needs and pursing the appropriate grant funds.”
During the grand application period, 42 applications were submitted and reviewed by nine-member evaluation panel. A total of 30 were approved for funding, including two from Palmdale, one of only a few agencies to receive more than one award.
For more information, call 661-267-5611.
[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]
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Cindy says
I agree with Jason, here on the Eastside we get left behind when it comes to improvements and benefits. The westside gets the money, the improvements, their roads aren’t full of potholes and cracks, and speaking of the Devils Punchbowl my family and I like to hike but the last couple times we have gone up there it has been closed so that the plants can grow back from the fire. Here on the Eastside we was given a water park that you can only enjoy 3 months out of the year, how about giving us something we can use all year, the Westside got an amphitheater that generates more money than our water park and can be used all year. As Tim labels us as whiners that is not the case if we don’t let someone know our dissatisfaction with the way things are then nothing will change, Squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Tim Scott says
Cindy, if the grants in question were funding things like amphitheaters I would have been right with you. As I already said, if they were being used for things that could correct the woeful imbalance in commercial access I’d be right with you. The grants are improving pools, which the east side does have better than the west already, and hiking trails which again we already have better (barring the temporary results of the fire).
But yeah, squeaky wheel gets the oil, so get over to Oasis park tomorrow and squeak! The placement of the regional recreation complex will probably be determined, in large part, by how many people show up with good ideas Monday at Oasis compared to how many people show up with good ideas Tuesday at Marie Kerr.
Jason ZINK says
All improvements for the Westside of Palmdale nothing for the Eastside again. And we are suppose to be happy that LA County gave city a grant when all this funding is generated in Palmdale City limits taken by the County and a lot more. We are fools.
Tim Scott says
Well, we actually have much better pool facilities than they have or will have at Marie Kerr Park, and the county is already providing the facilities at Devil’s Punchbowl that are far and away better than anything that will ever be available at Amargosa Creek Trail, so maybe we should just use and appreciate what we have rather than sit around whining about what the west side is getting.
Now if you want to talk about the shopping/restaurant/theater complex that Hornblower and the council have let die on the vine that’s a different conversation.