The remaking of west Modesto’s César Chavez Park is expected to start in November, some four and a half years after the state awarded the city an $8.5 million grant to pay for it.
And the project will cost twice as much as initially expected. City officials say the pandemic is behind the cost increases and the project’s extended timeline. The project also was stalled by a lack of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods staff and challenges with some of the renovation’s design features.
But officials say the improvements — including an aquatic center with swimming pool, basketball court and soccer field — will transform the roughly 6.25-acre park. PRN Director Jeremy Rogers told City Council members Tuesday, Sept. 10, that the remade park will be “amazing” and that its grand opening in June 2026 will be a “great day and exciting day for the city.”
The renovations include expanding the Maddux Youth Center, a lighted picnic pavilion, a vandal-resistant restroom, a lighted skate plaza , walking paths, security cameras and additional trees and benches.