CA State Parks Grant and Improvements

CA State Parks and Recreation Grant and Renfree Field Park improvements fact sheet

The City of Sacramento received a $3.25 million State Park and Recreation Grant for improvements at Del Paso Regional Park Recreation Area in 2022.

The Del Paso Regional Park Henry Renfree Baseball Field Improvement Project will add recreational amenities including the renovation of Harry Renfree Baseball Field, a new soccer field, accessible walkways, and sports courts.

Through quarterly stakeholder meetings for this park starting in 2018, residents strongly supported the renovation and restoration of the historic Harry Renfree Baseball Field. In addition to recreational features, stakeholders requested habitat restoration of the undeveloped area west of Bridge Road that has typically been used for overflow parking. Restoration of that area will entail removing stockpiled soil and hydroseeding with native grasses. The City to date has provided and earmarked $500,000 in Citywide Park Impact Fee funding as a grant match to support the grant application.

The Project’s environmental analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is documented in an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Anticipated Subsequent Projects under the 2035 General Plan Master Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The City anticipates the release of the document in mid-August, 2023, for a 30 day public review period per CEQA Guidelines 15072.

There are no plans to redevelop Haggin Oaks Golf Course or transfer any portion of the park to the County of Sacramento.

Project Description and Scope:

  • This park is considered a Regional Park that serves the Community Plan Area of North Sacramento in Council District 2. The park also serves the surrounding Sacramento County area that borders the park to the north, east and south. There are several Recreation and Park Districts in the adjacent areas that also service county residents, including Mission Oak, Arden Arcade and Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park Districts.

  • Renfree Field held previous lease agreements with third party baseball groups that would have allowed additional parking to be developed to the east of Renfree Field, but those agreements are now defunct.

  • Around 2017, the City developed a new parking lot next to Renfree Field using Measure U funding. The parking lot entrance is located on Auburn Blvd. Spoils from the new parking lot were placed at overflow parking site west of Bridge Road. This led to controversy because some stakeholders believed that the overflow parking site had wetland features. The city later contracted with a biological consultant who determined that there were no defining wetland characteristics at the site. However, as part of the CA State Parks Grant the City will remove the spoils from the site and seed the area with native grasses.

  • Beginning in 2018, the City of Sacramento, Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department hosts quarterly Del Paso Regional Park meetings for stakeholders to collaborate and discuss future improvements projects, operation, and maintenance of the park. These meetings also serve to improve communication between different YPCE divisions and with stakeholders. The City of Sacramento circulates agendas and meeting minutes based on stakeholder input.

  • The State Parks and Recreation grant opportunity for Renfree Field discussions with stakeholders began in January 2020.

  • In early May 2022, the City of Sacramento distributed a community survey to gather additional community input on the type of park amenities and location of park amenities within the site plan of the grant proposal.

  • The City received the State Parks and Recreation grant in the amount of $3.2m, with a city match of $500,000.

  • The project site was chosen because 1) it serves a critically underserved community in North Sacramento, both in terms of median household income and lack of access to recreation and 2) YPCE has conducted community engagement feedback by initiating the Quarterly Stakeholder meetings, which have been in effect since 2018.

  • Scope of Work: Renovation of the Renfree Field, with one 300’ baseball field, one 200’ practice field, one overlaid 210’ x 300’ soccer field, a basketball court, four pickleball courts, 77 parking spaces, landscaping, irrigation system, site furniture, soil removal and hydroseeding on the east side of Bridge Rd., and a new walkway along Auburn Bl.

Milestones with estimated dates:

  • Mitigated Negative Declaration approved by City council February 2024 
  • Construction Documents completed April 2024 
  • Construction Bids were received on May 22, 2024 
  • Building Permit to be issued in July 2024 
  • Contract award in August 2024 
  • Construction period late August through April 2025. 
  • Ball Fields/ sports courts open by late Spring 2025.  

Outreach and Engagement Center (previously the Powerhouse Science Center and Museum)

  • In 2021, the Powerhouse Science Center moved into their new home at the Museum of Science and Curiosity Site on Jibboom Street. This left the Powerhouse Science Center building vacant. This building and surrounding site is located adjacent to the Renfree Field recreation area.

  • The Powerhouse Science Center building site was designated as a warming and cooling center for up to 50 unhoused individuals in May 2022. This site now operates full time as the Outreach and Engagement Center by the Department of Community Response.

  • Any questions regarding the Outreach and Engagement Center can be emailed to DCR@cityofsacramento.org.

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