Fulfilling his goal of a county regional park for the west county area, Placer County Supervisor Bill Santucci shows off the new sign marking the beginning of work on the new Dry Creek Community Park.
So far only grading has been done on the 35-acre park site, but it links to the county’s existing paved bike trail between Cook-Riolo and Walerga roads. The park will be located east of Walerga Road and south of Dry Creek.
This regional park will feature a wide variety of activities. There will be two baseball diamonds, two soccer fields, volleyball courts and horseshoe pits. Families will also be able to enjoy picnic facilities for large groups or small, a snack bar and tot lots. Additionally, there will be an equestrian area and staging area for the paved trail which will be tied into a longer regional trail.
“I’m particularly pleased to see this regional park take shape,” noted Supervisor Santucci. “We’ve always been able to provide neighborhood parks that include tot lots, but this will be the first regional park in the Dry Creek area. It will better serve the needs of the growing Dry Creek community.”
The park parcel was acquired through the Dry Creek West Placer Community Facilities District (CFD) as a mitigation for development. The CFD was formed by the Board of Supervisors in 1995 as a means of funding and constructing public services, including parks and trails. Construction will be funded through park dedication fees imposed on development, In addition, the CFD has provided $250,000 toward park improvements. Maintenance costs will be covered by the county service area.