South City Park photo source: City of Redding website.
At the December 6th Redding City Council Meeting, a packed house of community members showed up to voice opinions on the future of South City Park. After nearly three hours of public comment, the Council approved the concept design for the park, allowing City staff to move forward with a grant application for $3.5 million to help fund the renovations.
South City Park has been a topic of discussion since permanent fencing was installed in 2019 to address community safety concerns. At the meeting, Kim Niemer, Director of Community Services, presented a timeline of City Council decisions and community meetings that led to the proposed design.
“Based on the recommendation from Project For Public Spaces, we believe a layered approach to activities is the best way to reactivate South City Park,” says Niemer. “This is a special park in our Downtown core, and it will need a wide range of amenities to draw community members across all age groups.”
The approved concept design includes a single entry point with an arrival gateway. Proposed amenities include an activity plaza, a youth area for basketball, skateboarding, and biking, a multi-use pavilion for indoor activities, a destination playground and spray pad, eight new Pickleball courts, a flex lawn for community events and concerts, a fenced dog area, a walking track, and updates to the existing bocce courts and youth baseball field. Additionally, updated lighting and other safety features will be included in the redesign. Redding Park Rangers will patrol the park and will open and close the gates each day.
After robust discussion and nearly 40 public comments from speakers across the community, the Council ultimately decided to move forward with the proposed concept design. This allows the City to apply for an Outdoor Recreational Legacy Partnership grant to help pay for the improvements and proceed with the plan to revitalize the park.
For more information on South City Park, visit cityofredding.org/southcitypark.
