Park grant application is OKd

Garden Grove is one of the most “underparked” cities in Orange County, and the recreational space that is in the city includes some facilities that are decades old.

As part of an overall effort to bring the city’s open space up to 21st century standards, the City Council on Tuesday night approved on a 7-0 vote a resolution authorizing a grant application to fund renovations at Woodbury Park.

The park, located at 13800 Rosita Place, is in an area of the city with many low-income families. That’s actually an advantage, because one of the criteria for the grant under the statewide Proposition 68 – passed by voters in 2018  – is service to an underserved population.

This will be the city’s second try at winning more funding for the park. Its application was rejected in 2019, but is trying again.

Prop. 68 makes available over $395 million to cities and counties in California for parks and recreation. The amount requested can range from $200,000 to $8.5 million, and the grants don’t require matching funds.

Woodbury Park is only one of several in the city eyed for improvements. New modern fencing is being installed at the Atlantis Play Center at Garden Grove Park, and new picnic shelters and playground equipment are also planned at the city’s largest recreational area.

An informational meeting on the Woodbury proposal will be held on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. at the park.

Additionally, a stretch of the former Pacific Electric right-of-way from Nelson to Brookhurst streets will be taking on a park-like look as a biking-walking path is being built there, with over 300 trees scheduled to be planted along its length.