The Escalon Parks Foundation presented a phased plan for a community skate park to the City of Escalon Recreation Commission on Aug. 6, proposing an initial standalone bowl feature with a tentative December 1 start date and a $125,000 target budget for phase one.

The foundation has raised $125,795.70 to date and is working with a builder called Dreamland, President Jeff Leggero told commissioners. “We have raised, $125,795.70,” Leggero said, and added Dreamland agreed to work with local vendors and accept material donations to reduce costs.

The foundation said the bowl is roughly 1,800 square feet and would sit within a planned 100‑by‑100 foot skate park footprint. Leggero said Dreamland recommended starting with a cloverleaf bowl as an anchor feature that would be usable on its own while remaining expandable in later phases.

Why it matters: the proposal aims to deliver a long‑sought amenity for youth recreation without using city prevailing‑wage funds that would raise costs. Location, ownership and lease issues — particularly regarding Main Street Park and adjacent railroad right‑of‑way — shaped the foundation’s site preference.

Key details and context
- Funding and fundraising: Leggero said most funds have come from the foundation’s annual fireworks booth (about $10,000 a year) and small community donations; one one‑time donation came from a winding up of a local nonprofit. The foundation has concluded it cannot fund the full $350,000–$500,000 park at once and is pursuing phasing.
- Builder and design: The foundation selected Dreamland through a three‑builder process. Dreamland’s proposal accommodates donated concrete, rebar and local labor to meet the foundation’s $125,000 phase‑one budget.
- Site: Leggero said the preferred site is within the 19‑acre Hogan‑Ennis parcel the city owns, in the overflow parking area north of the Escalon Feed store, west of the equipment shed. He said the city does not own the downtown Main Street Park parcel and that the railroad has previously signaled it could demand market lease terms if the city made permanent improvements there.
- Project constraints: Leggero and city staff emphasized engineering for drainage as a primary design requirement for a bowl and noted specialized maintenance and insurance will be required. City staff said insurance costs for a new amenity would likely rise incrementally because the city participates in a pooled insurance program.

Process and next steps
- The foundation and staff said Dreamland needs a confirmed site and drainage engineering to finalize the design. City staff said a presentation will be made to the City Council on Aug. 18; that meeting will include an item to begin site selection discussion.
- No formal Recreation Commission action was taken at the Aug. 6 meeting; Leggero’s presentation was for information and to solicit questions and feedback.

Quotes and attributions
- “We have raised, $125,795.70,” — Jeff Leggero, president, Escalon Parks Foundation.
- “A presentation will be made to the council on August 18 at the next council meeting,” — Jaylen (staff member), City of Escalon Recreation staff.

Ending
The foundation and staff said they are seeking council feedback on site selection and will pursue additional donations and in‑kind material contributions to complete phase one. If the council supports a site and the foundation reaches its funding and engineering milestones, foundation representatives said they expect to begin construction on the bowl as a stand‑alone first phase.