Kern County's Second District Supervisor, Zack Scrivner, announced plans this week to allocate nearly $8.7 million for park improvements and maintenance throughout his district, which stretches from Boron on the edge of Eastern Kern to Taft and Frazier Park near the county's western boundary.

Funding for the improvements at eight county parks in District 2 will come from several different sources. Recently, the county secured $3,023,637 from the Clean California Grant administered by the Department of Transportation for Mojave East Park. The County Administrative Office has also budgeted $1,000,000 from the County's allocation of federal American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funding, $300,000 in discretionary park funds, and $991,424 for the renovation of the pool at Jim Williford Park in Rosamond. In addition, Scrivner made the impactful decision to use the Eastern Kern economic opportunity zone, RENEWBIZ, funds of $3,364,063 to bolster the park improvements in communities within the zone's boundaries.

"I am very pleased to be able to make such a significant investment in my district's parks, which I believe are critical to quality of life, as well as economic development," said Scrivner. "Community amenities, like parks, are important considerations for families and businesses when looking to locate in Kern County."

The planned park improvements in the Second District:

Clean CA Grant ($3,023,637)

Mojave East Park - Features include replacement of restroom facilities, creation of a newly paved parking lot to serve the baseball field, a bio-infiltration basin to manage site stormwater, a new, larger shaded picnic pavilion, a new soccer field with renovated turf, landscape, and irrigation with emphasis on drought-tolerant, adaptive trees, shrubs and windbreak plantings, exercise stations with equipment, a renovated basketball court, and connected accessible pathways. This project is expected to be complete by June 30, 2024.

ARPA ($1,000,000)

Mojave East- Baseball field improvements, Basketball upgrades $150,000

Mojave West- Baseball field improvements, Basketball upgrades $50,000

Ford City Park- Splashpad with covered seating $600,000

Fellows Park- Playground improvements, covered seating $200,000

These upgrades are expected to be complete by June 30, 2023

General Fund ($1,291,424)

Jim Williford Pool- Pool Facility Upgrades Expected Grand Opening Summer 2023 $991,424

Frazier Park- New Playground with new surfacing. (Pending Regional Park Grant) $300,000

Alternate options if grant funding is secured:

Improve little league baseball field fence

Baseball field scoreboard

Workout equipment throughout the walking path

LED Lighting

Dog Park

Redesign skate park

These upgrades are expected to be complete by June 30, 2023

RENEWBIZ ($3,364,063)

Rosamond Park-Community Building Rehab $600,000

Rosamond Park-Skatepark $600,000

Boron Park- Update Baseball/Lot Lighting $200,000

Boron Park- Update Community Building $600,000

Boron Park- Skatepark $600,000

Boron Park- Dog Park $20,000

Boron Park- Splash pad $500,000

These upgrades are expected to be complete by June 30, 2023

Supervisor Scrivner represents Kern County's Second District, which includes the oil-producing communities of Taft and Maricopa.