The new amenities are part of the park's third improvement phase, which also included adding new restrooms, shade canopies and a 255-space parking lot—all of which have been completed.
Garrett said the delay on the splash pad, skate park and festival space are due to inclement weather and time needed to prepare for the 2024 Two Step Inn Festival.
The skate park and splash pad are expected to be open for public use by early July, and the new festival space will be completed by August after crews reseed the land and level it out for proper drainage, Garrett said.
The new festival space will host the Rotary Club’s Field of Honor event this November, with plans to welcome more events and festivals in the coming years, Garrett said.
The big picture
Georgetown’s Parks and Recreation Department has been making improvements to San Gabriel park over three phases that were funded through the 2008 bond.
Over the past 16 years, the 175-acre park has been transformed to include a disc golf course; playgrounds; a spring habitat; a sunken garden; accessible trails for walking, biking and hiking; and more improvements.
What’s next
The city plans on undergoing one final phase of park improvements in the coming years, but the funding source and improvement plan remains uncertain.
The department decided to scrap a food truck area originally planned for Phase 4 as it would negatively impact the environment, Garrett said.
The department also decided to remove replacing a low water bridge that runs across the San Gabriel River from the list of Phase 4 improvements and complete it as a standalone project.
The PARD will request $1.4 million to be included in Georgetown’s fiscal year 2024-25 budget to fund the new bridge.
This summer, the department will select a consultant who will work with staff and meet with community focus groups to identify priorities for Phase 4. Garrett said early ideas for the final phase include soccer or baseball fields, additional parking or more restrooms.
Phase 4 will likely be funded through a bond that goes out to voters in the coming years.
