Riverside is moving ahead with a $12 million plan to transform Martha McLean-Anza Narrows Park, the 40-acre riverside space at 5759 Jurupa Ave. long known for its disc golf course but little else in the way of family amenities. The city council voted on Sept. 1, 2026 to accept a $6 million grant that covers half the project’s cost, but officials still need to find the remaining $6 million before full-scale construction can begin.
The grant comes from the California State Coastal Conservancy, and according to the Press-Enterprise, Riverside’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department now plans to seek additional funding before breaking ground. As reported by the Raincross Gazette, the council’s formal acceptance authorizes a $6 million increase in the city’s Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, and no local matching funds are required to unlock that portion of the money.
What Riverside Actually Wants to Build
Despite its heavy use for disc golf, the park currently lacks standard family features like restrooms and playgrounds, and a community survey ranked restrooms, shade and native plants as residents’ top three requests, per the Raincross Gazette’s reporting on city staff findings. The planned upgrades include open meadows, a nature play area, a new playground, exercise stations and swings overlooking the river itself.
The planned design includes a recirculating water play arroyo, an outdoor classroom for river camps, a small bandshell, terraced river steps and native pollinator gardens. Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said the funds will greatly assist efforts to connect Riversiders with the river, according to the Press-Enterprise.
Blocking Off-Roaders and Reducing Fire Risk
Beyond play equipment, city planners have emphasized that a primary objective of the redesign is preventing unauthorized vehicles from accessing the river through habitat improvements and landscaping. The Raincross Gazette reports that this off-roading has caused environmental degradation and escalated wildfire risks along the corridor. The new design is also expected to expand access to the Santa Ana River Trail, according to the Press-Enterprise…