Ground to be Broken for First Park in Thermal

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Ground to be Broken on Saturday for First Park in Thermal

THERMAL – Residents here can rejoice in the holiday spirit as ground is broken for the first park in the community. The groundbreaking ceremony for the $10.3 million Thermal Community Park, is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.

The county helped move the future park forward with donating land and Supervisor V. Manuel Perez provided $4.5 help pay for the park. The 10‑acre park will be located in the heart of Thermal, on the corner of Church Street and Olive Street.

The location for Saturday’s event is 87-229 Church S. in Thermal.

“I remember as a child growing up near Thermal, where my aunts and uncles lived, and realizing that there is no park space in the community,” said Supervisor Perez. “Residents and families have long desired and deserve a park of their own. Planned with community input, this is going to be a beautiful park for the whole community. We invite you all to come to this celebration of a project that is near and dear to all of us!”

The park will include ball fields, sports courts, walking paths, playgrounds, picnic areas, shade structures, a splash pad, amphitheater and a kiosko. The project will be led by the Desert Recreation District, which estimates 15 months to complete.

In a statement, Kevin Kalman, General Manager of the Desert Recreation District, said, “We are thrilled to break ground this Saturday on the Thermal Community Park, an exciting step toward delivering a vibrant and much needed space for the residents of Thermal. This park will serve as a cornerstone for community connection, recreation, and enrichment, and we’re proud to be part of bringing this vision to life.”

Planning for the Thermal Community Park goes years back, with a goal set by Riverside County and the Desert Recreation District to build parks in three communities, North Shore, Oasis and Thermal, where residents lacked access to sufficient parks and green spaces. The nearest parks to Thermal are currently in the City of Coachella or six miles southeast in Mecca.

In 2017, Riverside County donated a 4.38-acre parcel to the Desert Recreation District for a future community park. In 2021, the district received a grant of $4.5 million from the State of California for the development of the park. In 2023, the district purchased another five acres to make it a 10-acre park.

In April, Supervisor Perez and the Riverside County Board of Supervisors allocated $4.5 million in Fourth District American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to complete the funding needed for the park. The funds also cover extra amenities such as a kiosko, as an additional feature for the community.

Other financial resources include: a $847,285 Proposition 1 grant from the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant from Riverside County of $100,000. Additionally, $234,000 is from developer fees and $164,000 from the Thermal Club, provided in 2015 as a contribution towards a future park in Thermal.