Stephen Leonard Park upgrade in Merced gets going

Work on the renovation of South Merced’s Stephen Leonard Park is underway this month, with a crew tearing out the old swimming pool to create a new, child-friendly splash pad.

The block-size park at Seventh and T streets also will see installation of a skate park, shade structures, new playground equipment, security cameras and bike racks, thanks to a $828,775 grant from the California Housing and Community Development Department.

“They started tearing up the bottom of the pool,” city spokesman Mike Conway, who also oversees the Parks and Recreation Department, said Friday. “They’ve also started on the restrooms.”

The splash pad replaces the park’s pool, which sat unused for at least five years, according to city staffers. A splash pad is a large, fountain-like structure in which people can play; there’s one nearby at McNamara Park.

When plans for the park’s upgrade came before the council about two years ago, some members of the community said it would be best to keep the pool, leaving an opportunity to give swimming lessons to children. On the other hand, city staff said, the splash pad doesn’t need lifeguard supervision and can be open longer.

The renovation project also will include benches, lights, drinking fountains, building repairs and painting, sprinkler controllers, tables, trees and new sidewalks.

The city last year awarded use of the youth center at the park to Merced Atlas Soccer Academy, a club that has been around for 15 years and has more than 1,000 children enrolled in programs, according to club volunteer Rosa Barragan.

Merced-based Taylor Backhoe Services Inc. won the bid for the project. Foreman Jacob Taylor said it will employ more than 20 workers.

“Part of our job is to keep people busy,” he said. “That’s one thing we strive to do with our company – keep guys working.”

Taylor said the project is scheduled to be done by the end of May. The project must be complete by June under the rules of the grant.

Another park project in South Merced, the $2.6 million upgrade of McNamara Park, was declared complete in June after delays.

For more on Atlas, call 209-947-0050 or email contact@mercedatlasacademy.com.

This story was originally published February 5, 2016 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Stephen Leonard Park upgrade in Merced gets going."