The City of Modesto is proud to announce the State of California Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Program has awarded $550,000 to the city for the renovation of Ralston Tower Park located in Downtown Modesto. The new state funding will be combined with previous Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds received, totaling $1,100,000 in planning and construction funding. Applications for the LWCF were submitted by the city to the state in February 2018 and award announcements were made in May 2019.
The awarded funds have been designated by the state to be used only at the Ralston Tower Park to construct a safe place designed for use by active seniors and the surrounding community. The funds will allow the city to redesign the park and address issues raised by the community about the misuse of park space and the frequency of police dispatch calls.
The park site, located at the corner of Downey Avenue and I Street (near the Mchenry Avenue five-point intersection), directly adjacent to Ralston Tower Apartments, is an ideal location for new recreation opportunities for active seniors; the area has seen a significant increase in senior living facilities.
Many citizens from throughout the neighborhood took part in the design process, the result of which includes a new senior-oriented playground. The new park space will feature a much smaller grass area, new perimeter fencing, improved area lighting, security camera systems, a covered exercise plaza, fitness equipment specifically designed to help seniors promote balance and agility, new horseshoe pits, a cornhole game, and small seating areas.
Planning for the re-design of the Ralston Tower Park has been ongoing for multiple years. The concept master plan was completed and adopted by the Modesto City Council in December 2017. Local engineering and landscape architecture firm O’Dell Engineering will be finalizing the construction documentation package for the new park space in the coming months.
The city is actively working with community members and neighborhood groups surrounding Mellis, Mancini, and Cesar E. Chavez Parks as it prepares to request up to $25.5 million state grant funding from Proposition 68 for redesign and reconstruction of the three park sites located in West and South Modesto. Proposition 68 round three grant funding applications are due to the state by August 5, 2019. The city of Modesto Parks Planning and Development Division is hosting various neighborhood parks planning workshops for the three neighborhood parks through June 27, 2019.
Also, on June 3, 2019 at 5:30 PM the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department will be hosting a community workshop for the upcoming Virginia Corridor Trailway, Phase 7 Project at Woodrow Elementary School.
Ralston Tower Park Conceptual Master Plan
All Upcoming Parks Planning and Development Projects and Meetings