West Sacramento officials on Nov. 19 advanced the purchase-and-sale agreement and priority-use framework needed to acquire Bright Park, a project staff says is enabled by a $15 million Outdoor Recreation Legacy Program grant. Parks and Recreation Director Kate Smith told the council the city and legal team have approved the purchase-and-sale terms and a related priority-use agreement requested by Washington Unified School District, and staff will next seek Washington Unified board approval before closing the acquisition.

The project is part of the Bright Park master-plan implementation. Staff described the total site as two parcels — about 24.62 acres for the park proper and roughly 4.076 acres of adjacent roadway — and said the city previously estimated a roughly $62,000,000 full-project cost including land acquisition. Smith said the city will go out to bid for construction-management services immediately and hopes to have a contractor under contract by late winter and a shovel in the ground in May (staff cited a May 26 target) if acquisition and contracting stay on schedule.

Why it matters: the $15 million grant includes funding for land acquisition, staff said, so the project depends on Washington Unified agreeing to the sale. Smith warned that if the district does not approve the sale the city would not be eligible for the grant and could lose the ability to seek reimbursements for pre-acquisition expenses. Council members repeatedly emphasized the time sensitivity.

Public reaction: residents who attended urged clearer communication after outreach that some said led them to expect a November groundbreaking. Laurie (a longtime Bright Park advocate) said neighbors were told construction would start in November and described community disappointment and urgency for facilities and youth programming. Another resident, Rhonda, said repeated delays have eroded trust and pressed the council to prevent further broken promises to Broderick-area residents.

Council and next steps: councilmembers asked staff to explain near-term contingencies if the school board delays approval; staff said the school district still needs final approval and noted that Washington Unified will receive priority use during school hours (7 a.m.–3 p.m. on school days) but not during summers or weekends. Staff said they will continue coordination with Washington Unified, reach out to organized sports partners about temporary relocations, and keep the council and public updated as the district considers the purchase-and-sale agreement.

Funding and risk: staff confirmed the city applied for an IBank loan to provide contingency funding if bids exceed estimates and said the grant was a key factor that enabled building the full project at once rather than in phases. If the school district does not approve the sale, staff said the city risks losing the grant and the ability to reimburse pre-acquisition costs.

What’s next: the city will present the purchase-and-sale agreement to Washington Unified for its consideration; staff said the district may act at an upcoming board meeting (date not specified) and that construction timing depends on acquisition and bid results.