Supervisors approve millions in stimulus funds for Merced County sports complex, projects
Key projects around Merced County received millions of dollars this week, as the Board of Supervisors approved funding plans that will bolster local parks, shelter the unhoused and offer pandemic pay to county employees.
The monies are part of Merced County’s nearly $54 million in Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), established by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
“These are monies that don’t come around in a generation,” Supervisor Daron McDaniel said of the SLFRF-funded investments Tuesday.
The funds are eligible for a spectrum of uses, but are intended to support households, small businesses, essential workers and other groups hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dollars can also go toward improving public infrastructure and replacing lost revenue.
Among the list of local projects slated for a sizable injection of SLFRF funds is the highly anticipated Community Park-42, the sports complex known as CP-42.
County elected officials approved an allocation of $1.5 million for the budding project during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
County joins Merced in funding sports center
The spacious 30-plus acre site at the corner of Mission Avenue and Tyler Road is envisioned as a sports hub that will become a regional center for recreation, attracting visitors from across the county and beyond to south Merced.
“It’s intended to be a regional facility that will serve not only city residents, but residents in the unincorporated areas,” Merced County CEO Raul Lomeli Mendez said Tuesday.
The regional sports hub is also expected to be a boon for local tourism by attracting visitors for sports tournaments, local leaders say.
Conceptual phase one features for the sports complex include courts for soccer, football, basketball and volleyball. Plans also show a parking lot, food truck area, a shaded picnic shelter and a play area.
In boosting CP-42 with SLFRF dollars, the county became funding partners with the City of Merced, which has spearheaded the project. The details of how county and city officials will work in tandem is being worked out by staff.
Although Supervisor Scott Silveira said he approved of the project, he noted his hope that the county is a true partner with the city as it moves forward. Silveira said he wouldn’t support providing county funds without having a say in shaping the sports complex.
Supervisor Josh Pedrozo said he recognized Silveira’s concerns, but assured his colleague that he wouldn’t be championing CP-42 if it wasn’t advantageous to the county.
“CP-42 is a tremendous opportunity,” Pedrozo said. “We’re going to be at the table.”
CP-42 has been envisioned by Merced leaders as far back as park and open space master plans dating to the early 2000s. The Merced City Council’s decision last year to put aside $5 million in federal ARPA dollars allowed plans to accelerate.
Although the millions in federal stimulus dollars allocated by the City of Merced and the county are bringing CP-42 life, a total price tag for it is still uncertain.
Merced officials previously told the Sun-Star that project groundbreaking is estimated to begin around spring of next year.
Once phase one construction starts, the city is aiming for a quick turnaround. Optimistic projections put an opening date at the end of next year, according to city officials.
Ongoing conversations between Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) and City of Merced officials are also exploring the possibility of incorporating another 30-acre site owned by the district next to the city’s parcel into CP-42.
If that plan moves forward, it would effectively double the park’s acreage.
Other projects funded across Merced County
Also making the list of SLFRF-funded projects are the county’s navigation center for the unhoused.
The facility and other county-funded emergency shelters received a total of $2 million in SLFRF dollars across two fiscal years to support operations.
Another $3 million is going toward payments for Merced County employees who weathered uncertainty and kept local government running during the pandemic.
“We are recommending one-time payments are made to recognize the dedication of the workforce while they navigated COVID-19,” Assistant CEO David Mirrione told the Board on Tuesday.
Other projects receiving federal funds include $1 million for Hagaman Park’s restrooms, $700,000 for environmental and design assessment at Franklin Beachwood Park and $600,000 to retrofit a building at the Spring Fairground.
SLFRF funding of $300,000 was also included for environmental and design work for a long-asked for Santa Nella Park.
“This $300,000 is just one step closer to Santa Nella getting the park that they deserve,” Silveira said.
Prior to allocating this slice of SLFRF dollars, the county distributed a survey to gauge the public’s funding priorities. It garnered nearly 10,000 responses.
County officials also met with local city advisory councils and gave community presentations.
Merced County’s millions in SLFRF monies must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026.
The funds were received in two equal parts of about $27 million each. The first share was distributed to the county in May 2021 and the second portion was received this May.
This story was originally published June 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
