The future is Bryte: West Sacramento park renovations a go thanks to neighbor advocacy, new federal funding
WEST SACRAMENTO — The biggest park in West Sacramento is about to get a big makeover, to the tune of $30 million in federal, state and local funding.
City leaders credit Bryte Park's bright future to some insistent neighbors who have refused, for several years now, to take "no" for an answer.
"Really, I think it's because of families coming together, going to city council and demanding some attention be paid to this park," said West Sacramento City ouncilmember Norma Alcala, who represents this district.
The Broderick and Bryte Neighborhood Association (BBNA) first started a petition to bring back the park's pool about five years ago.
Most people today would not even know the park used to have one; the pool sits behind a locked fence and has been filled with sand and covered by cement for about 20 years now.
Neighbors say the next closest community pool is in Southport, which is not easily accessible to the Bryte and Broderick neighborhoods of West Sacramento.
"We deserve more. So, we just started advocating for it," sBBNA member Rhonda Pope Flores said.
Bryte Park has certainly seen better days. It's why in addition to their desire to bring back the pool, the BBNA started taking their concerns about the park and its need for renovations to city council.
"There's a huge need. While it's usable, it's not where it should be," Pope Flores said. "We wanted the park finished. The master plan started over a decade before and there was no real movement on it. We had a couple of things done, which was great, but it was not enough. We needed our park finished."
This week, Congresswoman Doris Matsui and the city of West Sacramento announced they had secured $15 million in federal funding to finally kick off the city's Bryte Park Master Plan Implementation Project.
Mayor Martha Guerrero said the city is matching that $15 million through state and local grant funding, so the project's total comes in at more than $30 million.
"We noticed the terrain here is really dangerous for the kids. There's a lot of gopher holes. It's unsafe," Guerrero said. "I'd like to thank the community for stepping up and advocating. I'm so happy we are finally making this happen."
The federal funding secured by Matsui comes from the National Park Service's Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grants Program. West Sacramento was one of only four communities nationwide to score the top allotment of $15 million.
"Parks have a transformative impact – expanding access to green space and recreation options creates a healthier, more resilient community. That's why I have been such a strong advocate for our city staff and their forward-thinking approach to bring community-conscious amenities where they are needed most," Congresswoman Matsui said in a statement.
Now, thanks to the new funding, the park is not only going to see its pool reopened but also a brand new aquatic center that will include a splash pad.
"We knew we needed more, especially during these hot summers when the heat is unbearable," Alcala said. "We saw the necessity for rehabilitation of Bryte Park for our children."
The park's renovation project will include building the aquatic center, upgraded fields for adult and youth sports, brand new all-weather soccer fields with lights, a new dog park, an amphitheater, revamped sidewalks and ample green space.
It's something both Guerrero and Alcala said is a direct investment in the children of West Sacramento as well as their families.
"We've been trying to see what we can do to increase youth recreational activities. This Bryte Park funding is going to do that," Guerrero said.
Thanks to neighbors taking action and convincing city leaders to listen, the future is Bryte.
"We made this happen," Pope Flores said. "You know, when we would go to these meetings, they would say this is 5 to 10 years, even 20 years out. We said no, that's unacceptable. We just started demanding answers."
Mayor Guerrero says the City of West Sacramento wants to secure a few more million dollars in funding, then they plan to secure a contractor for the project. There is no estimated timeline yet for when construction will start, but the mayor said they are moving as fast as they can.