New park master plan proposes over $300 million in new parks, repairs

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)– A Master Plan from Bakersfield’s Recreation and Parks Department proposes a $318 million dollar budget for repairing and building city parks.

This million-dollar plan affects every area in Bakersfield to build new parks and help underserved communities.

Antongiovanni Park is empty and barren, complete with dried grass and mud pits. This is just one of the parks considered underdeveloped in the Master Plan, shown to council members this week for review.

Father Bryant Lopez has high hopes for his sons and the park, “I think it’d be amazing, something the kids to do in the summer, a recreational area, somewhere to work out, somewhere keep them hydrated, waterparks would be amazing.”

The rest of these underdeveloped parks, are each different in size, development and costs, coming to a total of almost $75 million dollars. These parks are primarily based in East and South Bakersfield.

Rick Anthony, the executive director of Recreation and Parks went into how that budget was formed, “In the plan it was a lot of public engagement as well as with the council to align them with their goals and priorities. So that was a group effort.”

In that master plan, $85 million was dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr. Park for repairs and the community members here say it needs it, “I think there needs to be a new playground for the children, new bathrooms, also awnings for shade, it gets really hot in Bakersfield and the people who do come here need more shade,” said park-goer Tori Wiley.

MLK Park is complete with a playground, a rec center, a pool, a wide picnic area and splash pad. The plan aims to repair the pool and a new recreation center

Other projects proposed are Kern River Parkway, expansions to Bakersfield Sports Village and Mesa Marin Sports complex, and tree canopy clearings.

City council did not approve this master plan budget but did make it available for public view, if you want to take a look yourself it it’s available below.

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