City staff told the Community Services Commission Sept. 8 that construction of two pocket parks — Grevillea Pocket Park and the Beatrice Solis Memorial Park (formerly Berkshire Pocket Park) — is underway and expected to finish this fall.
Deputy Director Melissa Snyder said major work completed to date includes grading, underground utility installs, storm drains, fencing, concrete walls and decorative benches. Remaining tasks include sidewalks, decomposed granite or rubberized play surfaces, installation of park features (furniture, lighting, irrigation) and landscaping. Staff said the parks aim to be completed this fall and that a ribbon-cutting is tentatively planned for November; exact dates were not yet finalized.
Snyder said the land for the pocket parks was originally Caltrans property that the city purchased. Financing for construction includes a Prop 68 state grant of $193,000 and $550,000 from Measure A (Regional Park and Open Space District) toward both pocket parks. Staff said those funding partners are expected to attend a future groundbreaking or ribbon-cutting.
Why it matters: The projects convert previously underused property into public green space and are funded through state and regional park grant programs. The work advances community access to small neighborhood parks and illustrates a mix of grant and local park funds used for capital improvements.
Discussion and next steps: Commissioners asked about schedule details, whether additional pocket parks were planned and which funds were used; staff said additional Caltrans parcels are under consideration but no specific pocket-park conversions are planned beyond these two. Staff will return with exact ribbon-cutting dates and any technical follow-up from Public Works.