Pasadena Parks Commission to Consider Millions in Improvements for Fields, Trails and Recreation Centers

Pasadena’s Recreation and Parks Commission on Tuesday will consider a five-year capital improvement plan that calls for replacing worn-out artificial turf fields, overhauling restrooms across the city, gutting a community center kitchen with gas leak concerns and upgrading trails along the Arroyo Seco.

The plan, covering fiscal years 2027 through 2031, proposes $1.459 million in new park appropriations for the coming fiscal year alone. It was prepared by the Department of Public Works and transmitted to the commission in a Feb. 17 memorandum by Public Works Administrator Phyllis Hallowell. The commission’s CIP Ad Hoc Committee reviewed it on Feb. 19.

Commissioners meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Yards Public Works Building, 233 West Mountain Street. Staff will be on hand to answer questions.

Among the most expensive new proposals is a $2.775 million replacement of artificial turf athletic fields at Robinson Park and Villa Parke. The fields were first installed between 2009 and 2011 and replaced once under manufacturer warranty in 2018. Heavy use has left them significantly worn.

The project calls for high-performance turf systems meeting current standards for shock attenuation, drainage and heat reduction. Turf replacement at Villa Parke would begin in fiscal year 2027. Funding of $975,000 is proposed for that year, with $1.8 million unfunded and slated for fiscal year 2028.

The plan also continues an ongoing citywide parks improvement program with a $1.25 million budget. Work would include resurfacing courts at Grant Park, Allendale Park and Eaton Blanche Park. Walkway repairs, pickleball courts and lighting upgrades are also on the list.

Aging and leaky restroom fixtures appear repeatedly throughout the plan. The document cites high maintenance costs and excessive water use as key drivers.

A $450,000 citywide parks restroom project targets Memorial, Central, Brenner and Victory parks. A separate $115,000 project addresses Brookside Park and Area H. Both proposals call for ADA-compliant, high-efficiency and vandal-resistant replacements. Work at Victory Park and Brenner Park would begin in fiscal year 2027.

Villa Parke Community Center is due for a long-overdue kitchen overhaul. The $500,000 project calls for removing all cabinets and non-functional appliances. New equipment would include a commercial stove, refrigerator, freezer, ice machine and a graded range hood. The project document cites concerns about stove gas leaks. A full building systems assessment for electrical and HVAC issues is also included. Design work would begin in fiscal year 2027.

Separately, the Jackie Robinson Community Center carries a $2.66 million price tag for tenant improvements. The project has been active but has limited funding. Work includes new LED lighting, replacement of damaged flooring, HVAC duct cleaning and refurbishment of employee kitchenettes. The auditorium would get new seating and audio improvements. An art mural would be refinished. The pottery program would be re-introduced. That project continues when funds are identified.

Two shade-related projects appear in the plan. The ongoing Citywide Parks Playground Shade Structure Installations project carries a $2.4 million budget. Shade structures at McDonald Park and Victory Park are set to begin in fiscal year 2026. Construction at Vina Vieja and Washington Park waits for funding.

A new $600,000 proposal calls for shade structures over spectator bleacher areas at Robinson, Villa Parke, Victory and Allendale parks. That project is currently unfunded.

On the fitness side, Memorial Park’s outdoor exercise equipment — described as more than 15 years old — would be replaced under an $85,000 proposal. Similar equipment replacement is proposed at Brookside Park and Area H at $207,700, though that project is also unfunded.

Several improvements are proposed along and near the Arroyo Seco. Planning continues for two outdoor basketball courts and a hybrid basketball-pickleball court at Brookside Park. A new restroom facility is in design for the south end of the Hahamongna Watershed Park multipurpose field.

The Upper and Lower Arroyo Trail Loop project carries a $2.2 million budget but awaits funding for its next construction phase. Improvements will focus on safety, wayfinding, access and trail enhancements. Phase II includes work on the Mayberry-Parker Bridge.

Four projects are expected to be finished by June 30. They include the Vina Vieja Pickleball Courts, Lower Arroyo Seco Habitat Restoration and two Hahamongna Watershed Park improvement efforts — one at Berkshire Creek and one at Oak Grove.

Tuesday, March 3, 6 p.m. City Yards Public Works Building, 233 West Mountain Street, Pasadena.