Construction on the Shafter Recreation and Parks District sports complex has come to a standstill after project costs skyrocketed since the original 2020 bid, prompting leaders to pause work and seek additional funding.
The project broke ground in May 2025, but by the first quarter of 2026, it became clear the available funds would not cover the rising costs, forcing the district to pause construction.
“Our escalation costs — we know that the park originally, back in 2020 when we bid this out to see what the cost was: it doubled,” Gilbert Garcia, a project consultant for the Sports Complex, said…