Downey City officials met up for groundbreaking ceremonies on Wednesday and Thursday at Wilderness Park and Golden Park, respectively.
Wilderness Park and Golden Park are the most recent projects benefiting from Measure S. Measure S, a half-percent increase to the transactions and use tax, was passed by Downey residents in November of 2016 by 63 percent and took effect on April 1, 2017. The tax is expected to generate “approximately $9 million per year to protect and enhance the quality of services to the community,” according to Downeyca.org.
Measure S has allowed for many renovations to be implemented around Downey, including all Downey Parks, fire stations and city library.
Both Wilderness Park and Golden Park will feature ADA improvements, rubberized play areas and new picnic areas.
Wilderness Park will also include a new restroom building, community building with restroom improvements, and pond restorations.
Golden Park will include new basketball backboards and nets, a chain link fence around the basketball courts, two new baseball bleachers and a decomposed granite trail.
Councilman Alex Saab commented, “We’re really proud that Golden Park will be transformed into an open space not only for yourselves here in South Downey but for everyone in Downey and in the surrounding communities.”
The Assisteens of Downey also joined in Wilderness Park’s Groundbreaking Ceremony to show their support for public improvement activities.
In the coming weeks, Furman Park and the Discovery Sports Complex will also begin renovations and all projects are projected to be complete by August 2020.
Wilderness Park will be fully closed during remodeling, but Golden Park will only be partially closed, allowing guests to still enjoy the park during construction.