LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The state has awarded a major grant to Lake County Parks and Recreation for improvements at Nice’s Hammond County Park.
The county will receive approximately $2,326,963.
Proposition 68, the $4 billion dollar “Parks, Environment & Water Bond Act of 2018,” funds the Statewide Park Development & Community Revitalization Program to assist in new park development, existing park revitalization and new recreation opportunities in underserved communities across California.
The Lake County Public Services Department, which includes the Parks and Recreation division, solicited public input for the grant application through several community meetings and surveys which provided the department with input about the communities’ desires for the park.
Improvements will consist of an upgraded main playground and areas for specific age groups.
Two new picnic shelters will be added to the center of the park that will include four picnic tables each, waste receptacles and grills.
There will also be a multi-sports court to include at a minimum basketball, pickleball and futsal.
A fitness court will also be constructed to provide an opportunity for outdoor fitness and wellness.
Hammond Park is adjacent to a wetland area which includes local wildlife such as birds and otters. An overlook will be built at the perimeter of the wetland and will include interpretive signs about wetlands and wildlife.
Two local Native American Tribes are partners on this project and will provide key input on the use of native plants and the importance of wetlands and the local land to their heritage for the interpretive signs, as well as contributions for the content of a land acknowledgment sign.
The unimproved open field area will be renovated to create a grass field for sports and play, the existing baseball/softball field will be improved with shade structures over the existing bleachers, and the existing parking lot will be improved.
Additionally, the dog park will be renovated to include two separate spaces for large and small dogs.
There also will be new shaded seating added to extend use during hot and sunny days. Lighting, drought-tolerant landscaping, and other minor amenities will also be added throughout the park.
Design of the project will begin this year, with construction estimated to be complete in 2026.
The grant award is one of several park improvement grants recently received by the county of Lake.
In August 2022 the county was successful in a $1,358,545 grant application to the state’s Clean California Local Grant Program for improvements to a number of county parks that were eligible for that program.
Those parks include Alpine Park, Clearlake Oaks Boat Launch, Davis Beach, Hammond Park, Hinman Park, Keeling Park, Kelseyville Community Park, Lakeside Park, Russell Rustici Park, Lucerne Harbor Park,Middletown Square Park, Nylander Park, Pioneer/Saderlund Park and Rodman Slough Park.
Improvements at these parks include new restrooms at two specific parks (Hinman Park and Middletown Square Park), and at all parks a variety of improvements such as shade structures, benches, drinking fountains, waste and recycle receptacles, trees, security systems, art and educational signage regarding waste, recycling and litter prevention.
All improvements under the Clean California grant will be completed by June 2024.
Lake County receives $2.3 million for Hammond Park improvements
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